Paint Your Picture (All Night Long)
by EIV-JKR
Summary: He secretly painted her in her room in Las Noches. Six years later, Orihime stumbles upon paintings in a gallery that look eerily like her. Demanding to see the artist, C. Murcielago, she's surprised to find her former captor alive, and human. Can Ulquiorra convince Orihime that he's human enough? Canon-divergent after Winter War. College/Fashion/Art themes
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is the second collaborative story between u/9915520/EspadaFour and u/8377967/JK-Robertson which was originally posted on Ao3. In these stories, _generally_, the characters who are canonically Espada, Sternritter, Aizen and his minions are written by EspadaFour and the shinigami and humans are written by JK-Robertson. It is not always the case. But always EspadaFour writes Ulquiorra and JKRobertson writes Orihime, and in this story, Uryu.

THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. We do not own Bleach nor the characters used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to send a PM or leave a review. We reply! Thank you for reading!

**CHAPTER 1: The Bat Has Left the Belfry**

He'd gone to the World of the Living. He'd stolen the supplies he needed. He would watch her for days and days as they passed by. It had been a blink of an eye for him, but Ulquiorra remembered the madness overtaking him.

The brushes. The canvases. The paint. The sharp smell of brush cleaner. The mess he'd made. He was rather good at hiding things. He was able to hide his curiosity about the woman. He was able to mask the desire he felt for her. He masked it all with anger.

Once the painting was done, he stashed it away in the World of the Living. Somewhere that no one would find it. He had signed the corner of it C. Murcielago. It wasn't much. It just showed a sparsely furnished room in the palace of Las Noches. It had a redhead girl who stared up at a crescent moon behind a caged window. He wanted something to remember her by. He needed something to remember her.

He hadn't anticipated on leaving this world so soon. On top of that dome, he faded away, reaching out for her. He didn't know how she felt. He didn't know what she thought, but Ulquiorra realized one thing. This woman had awakened his heart.

That was his only saving grace as he felt light come into his soul. He'd been redeemed from an eternity of agony in hell.

* * *

The music and drink made everything seem hazy. She was surrounded by taller, sweatier bodies undulating to the same rhythm. She closed her eyes and got lost in it as well.

The beat changed. The mood shifted. A darker tone overtook the atmosphere, and for a brief moment, the crowd parted. Her eyes opened and time stopped.

Finally, a desperate urge from her body to breathe overpowered her shock.

"Uryu, did you see-"

"Speak up, bitch! I can't hear you."

She scoffed. "URYU, DID YOU SEE WHAT I JUST SAW?"

"What do you think you see?" he asked, grinding into her backside to the music.

She rolled her eyes. "Over there," she said, turning to make eye contact and darting her eyes toward the area in question. She did not want to be obvious in pointing out the man seated in the booth facing the dancefloor.

Uryu looked. He displayed a flash of recognition and shuddered a bit. "Whoa, spooky. Don't worry about it, Boo, he's fuckin' dead. Anyway did you see that twink by the door..."

Orihime wasn't listening anymore and took no comfort in his words. She watched the pale, long-haired man in the booth until he left the area a few minutes later. It was uncanny. He had died. That was true. Why then did it feel like the earth had turned on its axis and dropped her into Bizarroland?

It had to be Bizarroland, she thought, because that was, without a doubt, Ulquiorra Cifer.

* * *

It was 7:24 am in Tokyo, Japan. A man stood in front of a huge canvas that sat against one wall of his loft apartment. He'd woken out of a dead sleep from a dream that left him clawing for breath and panting. It was always the same thing.

Darkness and then too-loud noises; too-bright light. He'd been in so much pain and then nothing. That was when he usually woke up, panicking. That's how he returned to the world of the living again. He found himself lying in a puddle of vomit with various objects surrounding him. Something that looked like Szayel's experimental drug containers and small baggies littered the floor.

What the hell had happened?

He had died.

Hadn't he?

Ulquiorra sat up groaning, feeling the bile rise in his throat. What the hell happened? Why was he here? This place was dirty. It smelled horrible. He moved his arm and pain lanced through it. He looked down to see a needle sticking out of it; the plunger depressed all the way down.

Pain and panic washed over him, like an endless ebbing at his nerves and senses. What was going on?

A thought occurred to him that made him start to panic even more. Was it possible for souls to overtake a body? Could they inhabit another body? This wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to go to hell. He was an Espada. There was a special place reserved for him.

Looking down at his hands, he watched himself yank the thing out of his skin. How had something like that pierced his Hierro? He brought it up to his face then upon examination; he threw it to the side.

Unless… Was he human?

Eyes crept back down to see red blood trickle from the wound.

Ulquiorra swallowed, once more sour bile and dread crawled up his throat. Hollow blood was dark red. When he was in his different release forms, his blood was black.

The blood that was on his arm was bright fucking red. It was the color of a Yammy's Cero.

He remembered stumbling out of that bathroom, confused as to where he was but not who he was. He was Ulquiorra Cifer; former Hollow, Arrancar, and the fourth Espada. He was now human. He was human.

He felt strange as he navigated his way through the rundown building. He found out in short order that he was in the crappy part of the red light district of Tokyo. It was December first. He had just exited from a known drug haven.

How was this possible?

He didn't know the answers. He couldn't ask the questions that were swirling around in his mind. Ulquiorra did the only thing he could think of, which meant taking the train to Karakura. He walked and asked where he could find the Urahara Shoten. Most people shook their heads and waved him off. Others pointed him in the right direction.

Those who pointed him in the correct direction probably had a blip of spiritual pressure. He couldn't detect anything out of the ordinary.

Tessai had taken one look at him and shook his head. "You're a human, and you found this place?"

Ulquiorra had nodded. "Is Urahara Kisuke present? Is he here?"

The tall man had held his chin like he was thinking. It didn't take long for Ulquiorra to detect the sounds of someone walking with a cane down a hallway. A striped hat appeared in the doorway followed by the green outfit the man wore, but he did not have geta on his feet, just socks.

When the blond came into the shop, the man looked horrified. "What are you-"

"I need help. I need answers." He was not a threat. If he could not use Cero, Sonido, or Pesquisa then how the hell was he to have an advantage over anyone?

And he'd gotten his answers, but Urahara didn't offer much help. He'd mumbled and printed off a bunch of information for Ulquiorra. The man was blind in one eye with thick scars running down his face and limbs. He hobbled to and fro. There wasn't much he could do.

He had tried asking Urahara about her and the substitute shinigami. The shopkeeper had shaken his head and refused to entertain those questions. He waved them off, saying it didn't matter. This behavior had worried Ulquiorra, but he said nothing else.

It had been four years since that day when he woke up inside of a nasty bathroom, and he had taken that train trip. Ulquiorra had done well for himself in that time. He found the canvas he had painted. It was still where he put it.

He went back to that drug den and up to the room that everyone said was his. He cleared the space out; cleaned up it. He bought himself paints, pencils, stretched canvases, and brushes. He began to create. It was disjointed. It was rushed. His art conveyed his panic of those first few weeks. It wasn't fun trying to become human when all he knew was the life of a regretful spirit.

In the first spurt of creativity, he'd made eight different paintings. Two of the canvases showed a redheaded girl, the one that he remembered. The one that he had given his heart to. He submitted them to local art galleries and finally snagged himself a spot in an art show. The ones of the redhead sold quickly, and by the time the show had run its course, Ulquiorra had sold each painting.

He moved out of the drug house. He got himself an apartment on the top floor above a pub. The place was in Koenji, but it was clean. There were no other drug addicts that lived in the building. There were no bugs. He could lock his door and knew that there would be no one trying to break into the place.

The first year was his hardest. Inspiration came in waves and flurries of activity; then there were lulls which he hated because all he did was stare at a blank slate that was begging for color and images.

The second year he was starting to become recognizable, at least his paintings were. The Woman and the Moon was always shown with his other work but never sold. He could not bear to give up the best image he had of Inoue Orihime. It was the one Ulquiorra he had taken most pride in. It was the one he coveted the most.

The third year he was in demand. He got an agent to represent him. He painted non-stop, it seemed like. He moved into a different apartment. This one had a loft and skylights. It was the perfect place for him. It took up an entire floor in a narrow building. He hadn't minded the walk up twelve flights of stairs. He was used to being up high.

The neighbors that lived below him were other artistic folks; writer, dancer, novelist, cartoonist, a vlogger, manga artist and so forth. Some were Japanese. Others were from different countries which made him ponder other things. If he could, would he leave Japan?

Probably not.

This was the last known location of Inoue.

The fourth-year had been the best so far. He had made money. He had everything he could want and still lived comfortably. He could go out with the few friends he had and have a goodnice time. They went clubbing. They had dinners. They talked over coffee. He watched everyone.

One such Friday night they were out, and he thought he saw someone he recognized, but it was impossible. Plenty of women had that same reddish-brown hair. He knew he could use the computer in his apartment or his phone and pull up the search results.

Her hair wasn't as unique as he once thought. Inoue was not unique. She wasn't some unicorn that he once thought she was standing in that room. She was a woman, and he had plenty of those at his beck and call. As he looked across the club and over the sea of drunken bodies, he stared at that woman and the guy who was currently groping her ass.

It wasn't anyone.

It was just some anonymous woman who looked like her. When he couldn't take watching the lookalike anymore, Ulquiorra decided to find a different fake redhead to take home that night. The drunken sex was the same mundane thing as always. Their cries meant nothing to him. They were just bodies.

The encounters he had with the women that briefly flirted with his life were all the same. It was fucking them and then showing them to the door. He did not need anyone permanent. He didn't care that he got scalding texts detailing how he was a "fuck boy" or a douchebag because he would not return calls or respond to texts, leaving the women's messages unread.

But those dreams he constantly had haunted him. They tormented him with nightmares that he couldn't shake at times. This morning was one of those times.

Panting, he climbed down the ladder and went to the bathroom, taking a shower to wash the sweat from his body. It still felt strange. This body. The human he inhabited looked like him with pale skin, black hair, and flat green eyes with reptilian pupils. The voice sounded like his with a mono, almost bored tone. The brain worked in the same calculating and detail-oriented manner. He was a perfectionist, and it showed in his work. He could feel emotion. He was irrational at times. The painting frenzies could attest to this. His introverted moods spoke loudly at times.

After the shower, he stepped out of the bathroom and looked at the painting that hung above his desk.

The Woman and the Moon.

Every time he woke up, he greeted the painting as if it were his lover. "Good morning, Woman. You're looking lovely as usual." or "Good evening, Woman. Did you do anything today? No? You just stood there looking forever up at that static sky?"

Sometimes he thought he was going insane.

That could be the case because he would stand there for a moment before going to the galley kitchen to grab something to eat or drink. It was like he almost expected her to reply to him.

At that moment, which was now 7:26 am, Ulquiorra had his back to his most famous piece and was staring at a large blank canvas. He had an art showcase to get ready for in a little over two months. He would display the woman's painting along with whatever else he managed to come up with.

With a sigh, Ulquiorra picked up his paint pallet and a brush and dipped it into the white. The dream he had during the previous hours had been of Hueco Mundo; its desolate landscape with his helmet buried in the sand. He had never had it ripped off. The mask fragment of his days as an Espada could never be removed. It was fused to his skull. But there, on the canvas, it laid on a white sand dune under a black sky and a white moon. Sometimes he had boggled at the power within him while he lived as a hollow. Had he just strived towards greatness, he wouldn't have stuck around Las Noches. He would have gone and fought in the Winter War.

Most art critics said his art was melancholy. It was morose. It was sad. Ulquiorra didn't think it was any of that but what did these people know? They were merely judging who he was as a person by that with which they were presented.

Often times if he went to his shows, he wore dark clothing or a suit. He applied eyeliner and lined his upper lip with black lipstick. He felt more like himself when he did this. People would comment on his brightly colored eyes and the strange slit-like pupils. His reply was always the same when people asked about his eyes.

"Contacts."

They would nod, and then the reviews would pour in about the freakish artist who looked like he had come from someone's nightmare.

Why should he be the only one who dealt with the dreams?

He painted many renditions of his crystal tree. This time a bat hung from the branches. It was almost like the bat that he had tattooed on his left forearm, near his wrist. He'd celebrated his first sold painting with a tattoo and continued the tradition with every other one that left his possession. He had quite the collection of disjointed ink to mar his body.

It was better than shoving drugs into his mouth and veins as the previous occupant of this body had done.

Hours went by and finally, Ulquiorra collapsed into his computer chair, exhausted. He'd gotten three out of the ten paintings done. Ulquiorra needed to recharge; he needed more inspiration. He'd eat and get some coffee. Perhaps go for a walk along the streets of his neighborhood. Maybe he would visit one of the other areas of Tokyo. Sometimes it was good to get out of his comfort zone, and it had been a while since he'd gone on an adventure.

He found himself walking the streets of Shinjuku. He went into Book Off, a popular second-hand media place, but didn't see anything of interest in there. He found himself in a camera store, talking to the salespeople about camera lenses. Ever since he became an artist, photography had always interested him. He liked using a camera to watch people out and about engaging in their daily lives.

It kept the monotony bearable some days.

He left that store and continued to walk around watching people as they moved. He had to wonder as he navigated the sidewalk if his nightmare had been triggered by the redhead he had seen recently. He couldn't remember certain details of her; he could barely tell what color eyes she had or how her lips looked when he had made her cry. He couldn't even conjure the sound of her voice pleading with him to let her out of that room.

There was very little that he did know about her. Ulquiorra knew she had huge tits, a tiny waist, and rounded hips. He knew she had those hairpins. He knew her name and where she lived. He knew her birthday, and that part of her name meant princess. To him, she had always been more than a princess. Princess was still a lowly title for Orihime.

It was funny how when he thought about her his dick would pulse. Stupid humans and their ways. He still harbored feelings for the woman.

He would never tell anyone that. He would never say anything to anyone about his feelings. He wasn't a "sit around the campfire to join in with friends to sing songs" type of person. He was a "leave me the fuck alone and mind your damn business" type of guy. He didn't like when devices were shoved into his face so that people could get a sound byte. He didn't like it when people wrote down his words or quoted him.

"Murcielago-san! Murcielago-san!" they would say trying to get his attention so that he could give a statement or answer a question. He never let the press know his real name. He'd always signed his work "C. Murcielago," that way no one would be able to recognize him.

No one knew who he was. No one knew the great C. Murcielago was the former Espada, Ulquiorra Cifer. No one who had heard his name would know it was him.

He was so lost in thought that he bumped into someone and didn't apologize. He continued on his way past the fashion college and its museum. He had heard from one of the tenants in the building that there was a decent udon place around this area.

Ulquiorra didn't look back. He didn't care who he ran into; if he had given a shit about who he had run into he would have seen the person had stopped and turned around to stare at him. He would have seen messy ginger hair and a disbelieving stare. He would have seen a pair of dark amber eyes twitching and fists curling.

But the dark-haired man didn't. He minded his own damn business.

* * *

Ichigo had been in town only for a weekend, telling Orihime that he was bored and wanted to have a reunion with his old friends from Karakura. Orihime was long over her infatuation with the shinigami. He couldn't let go of his ego. He kept bringing up Soul Society. He kept finding excuses to go back. He had one foot in this world and the other in the next. It was exhausting. It was also unnecessary.

There had been relative peace and stability after the war. Yes, there were konsos to perform and minor hollows to slay, but it was nothing that any standard unseated shinigami couldn't handle. Ichigo had just refused to give up control. He didn't make plans for his future. And when he did, it was always to stay close to Karakura and keep up the shinigami act. It had soon become clear, to both Orihime and Uryu, that he was not keeping either of them in mind when he talked about his role in defending Karakura. His was a one-man show. Nevermind the fact that it had been Orihime who revived him from the dead and saved his skin on multiple occasions. Nevermind the fact that it had been Uryu who defeated Yhwach.

They had both become disillusioned with their friend, who seemed dead set on living in the past, as far as they were concerned. Orihime had come to realize that even if the substitute shinigami ever came to recognize her fading feelings for him, they would never have the kind of loving, stable relationship she wanted and needed. It would always be Soul Society first. She didn't want to live like that.

So she had made other plans. The Karakura gang's group dynamic had changed when she announced that she wasn't going to stay in town after high school. Ichigo had gotten bitchy with her.

On the other hand, Uryu was totally excited. He and Orihime had conspired against his father, and both of them got accepted into Bunka Fashion College and left for Shibuya to study fashion design. It was a dream come true for Uryu. It was just something fun to do for Orihime. She found that she enjoyed it immensely she and could see herself doing it long-term, but it hadn't been a lifelong passion for her like it had been for Uryu.

She fell into the social scene gradually. Although she steered clear of many of the typical college vices, she often drank to excess and would go party all night on weekends. It was part of the expected lifestyle though; she had to be seen. She had to have her look admired. She was already developing a brand. So was Uryu.

In addition to school and socializing Orihime worked part time doing tailoring from home and modeling gigs as a side job. These jobs helped her further her connections, and Uryu often found a way to weasel himself into any connection she made, often to Orihime's detriment.

They competed against one another to see who would be the most attractive. Given their industry and social set, it was often Uryu who was more attractive to many people, especially in his newfound gay community. Orihime usually stayed close to him, afraid to fall into the arms of another man who didn't appreciate her. She was happy to go along and dance at gay clubs and get felt up by the cute half-naked guys there. When she went to clubs outside of Shinjuku 2-chome she still often found herself orbiting around the edges of any grouping of gay men that included Uryu. They made her feel safe and semi-welcome. For someone trying to keep her feelings drawn, that was a good deal for Orihime. She didn't want to open herself up only to have her dreams crushed again.

It hadn't just been what happened with Ichigo that made her so closed-off. Ever since her captivity in Hueco Mundo, there had been another being who had taken up residence in her heart. One who had died, but still lived in her dreams and nightmares. Sometimes it would just be reliving dull memories of him bringing food to her and threatening her to eat. Sometimes it would be his death. Sometimes his battle with Ichigo. She dreamt less often of Ulquiorra Cifer these days, but whenever she saw people holding hands, the old question, "what if?" resurfaced in her mind.

It didn't make her any less guarded, in fact, she had gained a reputation for being kind of a bitchy fag hag. That was no problem in her social circle, but it kept straight men away. Just as she preferred.

Things were not perfect in her new life, though. Orihime and Uryu had developed a uniquely fucked up relationship. They were roommates from the start and quickly became codependent to a large degree. They often slept together in the same bed, and sometimes, especially after excessive alcohol consumption, they would snuggle and sometimes kiss and touch inappropriately. It was never romantic though, and they never took it any further than that.

At the end of the day, the pair of fashion students were just two broken people who were fucking lonely and using each other for creature comfort and courage. Uryu was often overprotective and controlling of Orihime, afraid that one day she might find someone and leave him alone. That did nothing to stop him from being a big manwhore. He had lots of hookups but no long relationships, and he almost always came home at night regardless of his dalliances, sometimes just to make sure she hadn't left him. That's all he cared about, really.

Their friendship had long been suffering under the weight of their deep, parallel despair. Recently, both had recognized that their relationship was becoming toxic. They both knew that they desperately need to branch out. They didn't talk about it though.

Ichigo coming for an uninvited visit wasn't exactly helping things. He had told Uryu he was in town for a seminar. Uryu seemed surprised to learn he was still going along with his father's insistence on attending medical school. Ichigo asked if he could crash with them. Uryu reluctantly agreed. He didn't tell Orihime. He knew she would refuse.

Uryu was curious to see how Ichigo had changed. It had been nearly two years since he had seen him. Now that he was secure in his sexuality, Uryu was curious about Ichigo's. This is the same man who didn't bat an eyelash at Orihime's boob window dress during the last war. There was a decent chance Uryu would be getting laid, he thought.

He had been disappointed when Ichigo showed up with a duffel bag and more or less ignored him, walking up behind Orihime and asking, "Hey, lookin' good, fly girl. How'bout it?"

Orihime grabbed a coat. She grabbed her bag. "I'm going out," is all she said. She didn't come back until morning.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2: Who Are You?**

Notes:

Kuroi Namida means Black Tears.

* * *

His show was in a couple of weeks, and he needed to do one last painting, but the inspiration stopped coming. It had been fleeting for weeks now. What the hell was Ulquiorra doing instead of trying to paint? Getting head from some woman while he sat in his computer chair, looking at that painting. He always felt guilty and didn't know why. Why should he be concerned about someone who hadn't given a damn about him?

She healed Kurosaki and somehow turned him into a monster. That woman had strange powers. She had reversed whatever that hack Tosen had done to Grimmjow's arm. He would have used the word witchcraft. Inoue Orihime was a witch. She had enabled the emotions and feelings in him which allowed him to have a heart. One that beat in time with others and could achieve affection.

He groaned letting his head fall back. He was feeling something, but it wasn't affection. After he came in the nameless woman's mouth who had been kneeling between his legs and promised to text her the next day, Ulquiorra stared at the canvas that was sitting on an easel near the bank of windows. What could he paint that he hadn't done before? In the four years, he had spent as a human; there were sixty paintings that he had done.

How many of them had been the same idea recycled? How many of them featured Hueco Mundo? How many of them had that crescent moon or those bars and that window? How many featured that girl he had kidnapped as an Arrancar? Some days he would like to run into Inoue. He would talk to her like a normal person. He would be able to show her that he was human and not some monster.

Oh, who was he fucking kidding. He'd probably hit on her and offer to have sex with her. He didn't want to be close to anyone, especially her. People and their hearts got hurt all the time. Ulquiorra had seen it time and time again. The comic artist had been dating a married woman over a long distance, and the husband found out. The novelist had been through a bitter divorce. The dancer had an abusive boyfriend. These people had allowed others to invade their lives and look what happened. It was better to fuck and run.

With a sigh, he got up from his chair, buttoning his jeans and putting his shirt back on. That redhead he had seen in that club a couple of months ago, messed with his brain. He did not see Orihime in some dimly lit club with some guy trying to fuck her from behind. That was not the woman he remembered. The one he remembered was good. She loved her friends. She prayed for her brother every day. She got excellent grades while in school.

The woman in the club looked like she was dressed to screw anything that might approach but had a resting bitch face. A severe case of it.

Perhaps he needed a day out again. It'd been a while since he went to that cafe with the really cute waitresses over in Shibuya. Maybe the one he had screwed in the bathroom of the place had forgotten about the encounter and moved on. He really hoped so.

The next day after a night filled with another one of those dreams where he had been walking through the halls of Las Noches, Ulquiorra got on the train. He had seen what he thought was a flash of copper hair but it had probably been the sun glinting off someone's metallic tote bag or something. People and their damn trends with flashy clothing.

Ulquiorra was a simple man. He wore jeans and a t-shirt every day except for events. He had a coat. He had a hoodie and sweatpants. That was the extent of his fashion choices. He knew some people looked down on him for it, but he didn't care. A word came to his thoughts for his mindset.

He was apathetic.

After the train ride and before he reached the cafe, he stopped to buy a local cultural rag and then walked into the place a few doors away. Ulquiorra ordered a coffee and one of their sandwiches and sat down to wait for it. He opened the magazine and started flipping through the pages to pass the time. He was just about to turn the page when something caught his eye. It was one of his early paintings.

He looked at it. The eyeless man with the horn sticking out one side of his head, rivulets of blackness ran down the subject's cheeks. It reminded him of the Segunda Etapa release. So much power had run through his body. So much spiritual pressure had been expended. There was so much more underneath it.

The caption under the picture said, "C. Murcielago must be an individual who deals with mental health issues. It shows in his subjects and angry brush strokes. This painting titled _"Kuroi Namida"_ shows that the artist is obviously hurting from within."

He scoffed. Whoever wrote these articles were full of shit. There was nothing wrong with him. The soul that left this body before he entered it had problems. Ulquiorra had dealt with his issues.

Turning the page, he was stopped short again. The image on the sheet made his breath hitch. His reptilian pupils widened giving him a somewhat human-like appearance for once. Those green eyes took in every detail on the page; from the teased side-swept hair and the edgy makeup done in colorful splotches on her eyes and lips to the airy sea green dress that strained against the size of her tits down to the strappy high heeled sandals, she wore as she posed. The caption read, "Inoue Orihime, a local student at Bunka Fashion College modeling a design made by Ishida Uryu poses in the college's spring fashion show."

His mouth went dry.

Inoue Orihime.

_Fuck._ She was alive. She had survived.

Furrowing his brow in a stern expression, he studied the picture intensely. He knew where that college was. It was six, almost seven kilometers from his neighborhood. Normally he would have said something to the person who set his food and coffee in front of him, either flirty or sexual in nature but this time he remained silent with a scowl on his face.

He was tempting fate but seriously contemplating taking the train to the place and waiting to see if he could spot her in a crowd.

She was a tiny waif of a thing. He was sure he'd be able to see her. The red hair and dark eyes had to stand out. Reading the caption again, he remembered the Quincy. Ulquiorra had cut his hand off. That Hollowfied human had run, it's katana through him. The Arrancar had been certain that the teenager had died. It was impossible to survive a wound like the kid had and live to tell about it. He recalled the blood seeping through the white outfit the boy wore.

It seemed like Ishida wasn't dead. The male was undoubtedly living his life.

The scowl on his face darkened. He knew exactly what he was going to paint now. He knew what he wanted to show the world.

Ulquiorra was going to paint the woman again. Instead of protecting her from the world, he would show everything he had seen.

* * *

Ichigo's visit had left a sour taste in Orihime's mouth. She was surer than ever before that she had made the right decision to leave Karakura behind. It wasn't only Ichigo who had pissed her off though; Uryu had known he was coming and didn't say a word about it. She felt set up. She felt like once again, Uryu had used her as a pawn in his social chessboard. She was fed up.

She still had several months left on their lease though, so she had to suck it up.

Besides, the college's fashion week had just ended. Everyone had been on their last nerves. Both Uryu and Orihime's showings went well; they received kind words from attendees and a few mentions in local publications. Nothing to write home about, but still, it was encouraging. Orihime had modeled for Uryu and was featured in one of those publications. She suddenly found herself inundated with requests for her to model for art classes, for photographers, for other designers, and much to her chagrin, for pornographers. She ignored the latter requests but rarely said no to anyone else. Her connections were growing.

She was sitting in her living room, drinking some coffee and waiting for her nails to dry when Uryu zoomed through clad only in a towel. There used to be a time when the sight would make her self-conscious or somewhat aroused, but those days had long passed. He was just her roommate now. He paused to ask her what she was doing that weekend.

"Nothing in particular. I'm modeling on Saturday morning, but I was planning on going out in the evening. You?" She asked to be polite. She didn't particularly care what he was doing.

"I'm going to the opening of a new gallery show on Friday. You should come. Everyone's going to be there."

Orihime looked at him dubiously. "Everyone?"

Uryu looked at her like she had sprouted a third eye. "Yes! Earth to Orihime, everyone. Ty is going to be there, Aki is going to be there, Zerge, Pauletto… Markus."

Orihime rolled her eyes. If Markus was going, she had better go. Markus was an up and coming designer who was being courted by all the big name fashion journalists. If she wanted to be recognizable, she would need to be recognized by Markus.

"Fine. Leave me the details later. Go get dressed."

Orihime cleared her Friday night calendar. She needed to be noticed. She spent the day planning her look. Every detail was carefully crafted. Markus was all about clean, minimalistic lines. He preferred to work in black and white. She decided to follow suit.

She had a white leather pencil skirt in her closet with black piping up the center and sides. She had a high-collared, sheer, sleeveless, white tunic. She had a white bustier to wear underneath. She had black strappy heels and a long metallic black bolero necklace. This would work. She just had to keep her makeup fresh and minimal and straighten her hair.

When Uryu came home and saw her outfit, he did a double take. "Hime, um… have you worn that outfit before? It looks kind of familiar."

"No, this tunic is new, and I've never worn any of these pieces together, you must be imagining things. Let's get the fuck out of here it's hotter than hell."

With that they left, getting into a taxi they couldn't really afford, but then they couldn't afford to be seen taking the subway either.

When they arrived at the gallery, which was the kind of post-industrial space that she had seen a thousand times before, she was unimpressed. There was a large group of people there, milling about, nibbling on bits of cheese and drinking glasses of low-priced wine poured from high-priced bottles, but she didn't see any of the high-profile people Uryu had mentioned.

"What the hell, Quin, I thought you said Markus and Pauletto were going to be here?"

"Don't call me that," Uryu hissed at her. "It doesn't sound cool."

"I think it sounds badass. You're just a sourpuss," she countered.

"Whatever, bitch. They're coming. I just got a text from Aki that they're on their way."

"Don't call me a bitch in a place like this, _bitch_." she hissed back.

Orihime took a glass of the proffered white and took a sip, wincing at the acidity. This was some kind of boxed swill for sure. Probably a new pinot grigio. They always made her mouth pucker. She couldn't be seen dumping it out though, so she just carried it around like a prop, forcing herself to take a sour sip once in a while.

Finally, after about forty-five minutes, Markus and his entourage arrived. Uryu immediately approached Aki, grabbing her by the forearms and kissing the air on either side of her cheeks, squealing about how good it was to see her and how fabulous she looked. Aki, a thirty-year-old avant-garde designer with a shiny black bowl cut and oversized round glasses, merely nodded and looked over at Uryu's companion. "Ah, you must be that Inoue girl everyone's been talking about. Come here and let me look at you," she demanded, without a hint of civility.

Orihime knew better than to challenge the hierarchy. She marched over and stood before Aki with her spine straight and a far-off expression. Aki arched an eyebrow in approval and walked around the younger woman in a semi-circle.

"Yes, I can see why they say you are better for editorial. You are too short, and your tits are grotesque. But your skin is flawless. Markus, come look at this girl. You should have her try your winter line for photographs."

Markus glanced over, "Uh, yeah, get her number, Aki." He was more interested in getting Uryu's number. Uryu was more than happy to provide it.

The redhead gave Aki a card and thanked her for her time and offered to get her a drink. Aki told her "A dry red," in clipped tones and turned her attention back to the group of young men she had arrived with.

Orihime grumbled only slightly as she went to retrieve what was probably boxed Banrock Station cab from a man wearing all black with a pencil-thin mustache. She brought the drink back to Aki and bowed slightly. Her face to face obligations were now fulfilled unless she was approached by someone else. She decided to switch to a glass of the supposed Banrock Station cab, which despite being cheap was significantly easier to drink than the white, and started to wander the gallery on her own.

The artwork she saw was shocking. Not the subject matter itself. No, she had seen much more appalling content before. It was the familiarity of the subject matter that was so shocking. A desert at night with white sand, its sky was pitch black with no stars. There was a horned helmet in the sand, the tip of the horn gleaming in the moonlight. She shuddered. "Deja vu," she said to herself before moving on.

The next painting was what appeared to be a thornbush or tree made out of crystal with a bat on it. It also resided in a white night desert. This was not as familiar as the last, although the night desert theme still struck her as uncanny. Who was this artist? Surely not someone who had seen Hueco Mundo. Her spiritual abilities were very rusty, but she was still able to detect that there was no one in the building with any elevated spiritual pressure beside herself and Uryu.

She moved on. The next painting was entitled, "Kuroi Namida". Black tears, she thought to herself as she beheld an eyeless man with black blood trailing from the sockets. Now she was really freaked out. This was a scene from her nightmares. She took a step back and scanned the room. There was no way this could be real. No one here beside her and Uryu knew who Ulquiorra had been. Why would someone else have painted him? Yes, it was a stylized image, but it was clear to her who the intended subject was.

She was being crazy. This was all just a very unlikely coincidence. She downed her glass of wine and reached for another. She should have eaten something before she left the house. Maybe the alcohol was making her paranoid. She sighed softly. Yeah, that was it. She moved to the next painting.

This one was abstract, with soft patches of color covered by bold brushstrokes in black, green, neon blue, and red. There wasn't an obvious pattern or resemblance to anything else. She again had a familiar feeling with the painting. She was beginning to accept that maybe her mind was playing tricks on her.

The next painting was another abstract piece, this one all in shades of gray, white, and black, with the exception of swirling oranges and turquoise. It was peaceful. It was pretty. She liked it. She stood and admired it while she sipped on her wine. After a few more minutes she moved on.

The next painting she also quite liked. It was a crescent moon in a black sky. Nothing else. Simple. Beautiful. Common. Not at all an obvious Hueco Mundo reference, she told her nervous brain in no uncertain terms. She looked at it and started to remember the feeling of being a captive in Hueco Mundo. It made her anxious. She finished the second glass of red and reached for a third.

The next couple of paintings were more abstract pieces that she didn't much care for, but the last two were paired side by side. They were the same size and orientation. When Orihime came to stand before them, she nearly dropped her wine glass. Her eyes widened. This was impossible. Without a doubt, she was looking at two images of herself. One as a sixteen-year-old girl in an Arrancar uniform, looking out a barred window to the unmoving moon of Hueco Mundo. Beside this image was another, an image of her nude back and face in profile, her old turquoise flower hairpins clearly displayed on her temples.

Who could have painted this? Who knew her then? She looked at the name of the artist carefully for the first time that night.

_C. Murcielago._

Shit. SHIT.

* * *

He'd been watching from the security room. He always did this at shows; at least on the first night. Ulquiorra wanted to see who expressed interest in his paintings, but he really wanted to see who showed up. The art critics. The posh couples. The local rich people who liked to be seen.

Tonight was different He'd been waiting for this for four years. The redhead moved through the room examining every painting, and he could do nothing but stare as what he could only describe as horror crossed her face. Then the expression was gone.

"Murcielago-san?"

"Hmmm?"

"Something wrong?"

"The woman standing in front of the last two paintings. Invite her back." Ulquiorra didn't acknowledge the man leaving. He was too busy wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him. Did human eyes wear out? His eyes weren't necessarily human. When he had looked at himself in a mirror, he still had two elongated vertical pupils. They were still that vividly uncommon shade of emerald. The only difference being that if he pulled one of his eyes out now, it wouldn't grow back.

Watching the gallery owner walk up to the woman was nerve-wracking. Why had he sent him out there? Why couldn't he find the balls to go out there himself?

Ulquiorra knew why. The Quincy was there and he didn't feel like dying for the third time in his life. It would be bad to show his face to people who only knew him as an enemy. With a nod to the security guard, Ulquiorra left the room and walked down to the private room he was allowed access to so that he could wait. He knew that the gallery owner could only suggest things and not force her to visit him.

He hoped the man was good at charming people, otherwise, this entire show would be for nothing.

* * *

"It's a lovely painting isn't it?" Armand Helden, the gallery owner, said as he came up to where Orihime stood. "It really shows the feeling of loneliness and isolation that the artist must have felt."

"Can I ask you something?"

Helden smiled at the woman, "Of course you may."

"Do you think I'm lovely? Do you see a resemblance here?" she asked, more than a little on edge.

Raising an eyebrow, the man peered at this woman he had been sent to retrieve. He had an image to maintain, so he gave the nod. "From just looking at you, you seem to be a lovely person and believe me; I know a work of art when I see one."

Orihime sighed with emphasis, then hissed at the owner, "Spare me the bullshit, sir. Excuse my language, but that's what this is. That is me. I demand to see who painted it."

"Ah, it might be bullshit but-" the gallery owner looked at the woman to see a rather hostile expression on her face. "I think the artist is still in the building. If you follow me, I will escort you to see Murcielago-san."

With that, the tall man turned and motioned for the woman to follow him. He was unsure what his prized artist was doing, but he must have known this woman. The resemblance was rather striking. He could see the nose was not exactly right. The way the woman's chin was held wasn't spot on, but it was close enough.

Helden made sure that the woman was behind him as they moved down a roped off corridor. The duo came to a door, and he held up a hand. "I will tell him that you're out here and see if he's accepting visitors."

Orihime sighed and walked right past the owner, opening the door on her own and ignoring his protests. Once inside, shut the door behind her.

"Who are you?" she demanded.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3: A.K.A...**

Ulquiorra was not ready for the voice that filtered through his eardrums, hammering on his auditory cortex. It was not the voice of a young girl filled with emotion while she talked about her friends. This was an angry woman who sounded like she had had enough of people's bullshit.

"Who am I?" All he did was turn his head enough so she could see his face past the long black hair that he swept out of the way. Ulquiorra waited for her to register his appearance and then slowly turned around. "Who am I?"

Orihime was stunned. He was dead. He _was_ dead. She couldn't believe her eyes. It would have surprised her less to see Aizen sitting in that chair. No sound escaped her lips, but they silently formed the incredulous words, "Fuck. Me."

She staggered back a step and bobbled. It wasn't the wine. She grabbed onto a nearby side table. She took several deep breaths and closed her eyes tightly before opening them and seeing that face again.

The same face from the club a few months ago.

The same face from Hueco Mundo six years ago.

She finally found her voice. "Ulquiorra."

He did not expect her reaction to be this. Ulquiorra did not expect her to say those words. It probably wasn't an invitation because she looked distraught. She looked traumatized. She looked upset.

Then she said his name.

"The correct name is _C. Murcielago_ but yes, Inoue Orihime. You know me as Ulquiorra Cifer," he replied, looking at her.

"That's because that's your fucking name, Ulquiorra!" she shouted. "You died! You're dead! You-" she had to sit down.

He scoffed at her tirade but said nothing. She was close to him. Close enough if he wanted to, he could touch her. Ulquiorra wouldn't. She didn't seem to be as welcoming to this idea as he was. "I did die. As you see though, I did not stay dead. You should keep your voice down."

Orihime sighed and took a deep, calming breath. Her eyebrows knit together as she began to feel a cacophony of emotions swell inside of her. Her breathing hitched for a moment, and then she stomped down the tears that threatened to surface. She raised her eyes to him. Her face was sad, despite herself.

"How?"

"Urahara isn't sure. He mentioned something happened a couple of years ago that messed up the Soul Society's system. All I know is that I was floating and then suddenly, I was in a place in Kabukicho," Ulquiorra said to her. He was watching her face as he explained the piss poor excuse he had gotten.

Orihime dropped her head into her hands. "It was the war…" she murmured, before looking back at him with a very vague understanding. "That still doesn't explain anything. Still, I suppose Aizen would be better to ask than Urahara about that kind of thing. At least he's more forthcoming," she continued somewhat absentmindedly before sharpening her focus. "Not that it matters, I'm not exactly on speaking terms with either of them anyway."

He shook his head. "Why are you here?"

"You mean at this show? A friend dragged me along."

"No, I mean why are you here. Why are you back here?" Ulquiorra knew that he had told the owner to bring her back here but she didn't have to know that. "Why are you invading my space?"

Orihime scoffed. She was not impressed with his attitude. This should be some kind of mind-blowing reunion. Worlds were literally colliding. And he was asking her _why she was invading his space?_ She didn't have to put up with this. She stood up. "I had to see it with my own eyes to believe it. I've seen it," she muttered, then turned and walked to the door.

"What do you think of your paintings?" Ulquiorra asked. He didn't want her to leave. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to hang onto her. "They're all from memory, you know."

She paused, her hand on the doorknob. She didn't turn around. "Do you want the truth or do you want me to tell you what I think you want to hear?"

Ulquiorra gave a chuckle. "Still the same, aren't you Woman? Do you think I'm one of your friends who wants a candy-coated truth? I don't. I never did. I'm not Kurosaki. I'm not some unrequited love you're chasing after. I want an honest answer from you always."

Orihime gave a short, mirthless laugh and twisted to show him her face. She wore a world-weary smile. "Kuro-who? I don't know anybody by that name. Anyway. Honest answer? Most of them are beautiful. You got my nose wrong. My ass looks better than that. I like the turquoise and orange swirly one. The Kuroi Namida was straight out of my nightmares. Shall I go on?"

"I'm sure you don't," Ulquiorra stated. He moved a couple of steps towards her. "I see that I got your nose wrong. It's more curved than I originally thought. As for your ass, well, it's been a long time since I've seen it. Anyway-"

"Tch, you've never seen it."

"You think that. Aizen had surveillance all over Las Noches. Anyway, the rest are drivel. They're trash paintings to fill my obligations to the gallery. They'll be sold just like the others." Ulquiorra stared at her before he turned away. "Nice outfit by the way. Very nostalgic."

Orihime was starting to tremble a bit. Her initial indignation was subsiding and the reality of him being alive was starting to sink in. She grabbed at her elbow and looked down, suddenly feeling and looking very small. Her heart was betraying her. She didn't want this. She didn't want to feel sympathy for the devil. She furrowed her brows and tried to salvage her resolve. "So was Aizen the pervert or were you?"

In an instant, Ulquiorra turned around glaring at her. How dare she accuse him of being a pervert! How dare she say that about him. "I was doing my job," he snapped. "I was supposed to watch you and that's what I did!"

She was hit with clarity. Of course. That's what it had always been, hadn't it? All the talk of hearts and sad last words were just an illusion she had clung to all these years to console herself with. She smiled at him. It was a small, genuine thing. She nodded once. "I know, Ulquiorra. I'm sorry. I was taking things out of context; six years will do that to memories, you know?" She paused and sighed. "Anyway, you may not believe me, but I'm really glad you're not dead."

"You're not sorry and you're not glad. I watched you as you viewed every painting of mine. I saw your reaction when you came upon The Woman and the Moon and Midori No Ai." Ulquiorra knew this wasn't going to go well but he didn't think he'd feel this anger swirling in a vortex inside of his chest.

"Let me ask you this, Cifer: how would you feel if someone you saw die before your eyes; someone whose hand turned to ash just as you were about to finally grasp it, suddenly just showed up and was making a profit off of your image? It's more than a little unnerving, I'll tell you that much. I had no idea it was you, anyway. That's why I demanded to come back here. I can't feel your spiritual pressure at all!"

He tilted his head to the side as if he were appraising her. This woman was so odd, so strange. "I didn't just show up. I've been alive for four years now and it's what I do, Woman. I paint. I sell the art. I get money. That's how the world works, I'm sure you know that unless you have some man who is footing your bills." He scoffed. "I have no spiritual pressure. I'm human."

She had multiple reactions to his retort and paused for a moment while she decided which one took priority. Finally, she scoffed right back. "A _man? _Ha! You've got to be kidding me. You were watching me. No one dares approach me. And I know how commerce works, thank you very much."

"A woman then, if you're into that," he said.

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Oh my god. No. I am very much alone. Why do you care?"

"When did I watch you? I've just learned you're alive," Ulquiorra stated. He walked over to where the redhead stood and stared at her. "Why do I care? You want to know why I care?"

"I meant in the gallery tonight. And yes, I do want to know."

His jaw clenched. There were little details that he had missed while painting her. The way her brow creased and the shape of her lips. Yes, he'd gotten her nose in the second painting totally wrong. He could always go back and fix it. It seemed wrong that he was thinking of these things when he had invited several women on dates this week. Ulquiorra brought his hand up but did not touch her. "You'd be the perfect model," he replied, dodging her question somewhat. "You are the perfect model. You are my muse at times."

"Oh," she said, surprised. She lowered her guard. It made sense to her that she would inspire him; it was not everyday people carried memories from a past life. She thought he was proposing a business transaction. "Well, I've been kind of busy lately but I have some openings starting the week after next. I do all my own bookings so I can just give you my card…"

She sounded like she was reading from a script.

A straight brow rose on one side of his face. Was she saying that she'd be willing to sit for him? Ulquiorra's irritation blew away, leaving him. Was this woman proposing-How would that affect his life being around her? How would that affect him? He was a loner. He was a castle surrounded by a moat. No one was let in. It took him a long moment before he could answer. He was going to take the opportunity. "I will pay you. Cancel whatever you have. Give me your number and whenever I text, I expect you to be at the address I provide."

Orihime looked at him like he was nuts. "No, I will not. I have industry relationships to maintain. I have a schedule to adhere to. I'm not just some little peon that you can have at your beck and call. What do you think I am, some kind of whore? Jesus." She was getting riled up.

"I'd like to-" Ulquiorra had to censor himself. Inoue was not one nameless woman in the sea of people surrounding him. If she texted him, he would reply in a heartbeat. If she called him he would answer. He wouldn't even attempt to make her leave his loft. "Whatever your Quincy friend dressed you in for his fashion show stated otherwise."

Before she could stop herself, her fag hag tendencies took over and she burst into laughter, leaning toward him and brushing his arm with her fingertips flirtatiously and then pulling back. "You're right!" she cackled. "His taste is questionable. I did look hot though. Like, it was obscene…" she trailed off and her eyes widened as she remembered that this was not 2-chome and Ulquiorra was_ not_ one of her gay friends.

Her touch had been what set him off. It ignited a spark within him. It was the catalyst to his actions. "Fuck hot, you're gorgeous," he said before grabbing her arms and pulling her towards him. Ulquiorra knew he was being an idiot. He knew this woman was the reason he was alive and he wanted her. He was thirsty for her. That's why he had painted all those images of her.

Ulquiorra kissed her and he didn't fucking regret it. He pressed his body against hers, letting his lips brush against hers before he kissed her fully, staggering their lips so that his top lip was between hers. He pulled away slightly before doing it again.

This was not what she expected. She felt like she was having an out of body experience. She was passive in his arms, allowing him to do what he wanted. She didn't know why she didn't object. She was unable to recognize how she was feeling. If she had to describe it, it would be like being rendered absolutely useless. She melted. He pulled back as quickly as he had started, and she staggered again, unsteady on her feet. A dumb kind of half-smile pulled at her lips, and she looked from one corner of the room to another trying to get her bearings.

"Give me your card," he said, voice thick with desire. Ulquiorra had never experienced something this strong or deep for any of the women he had slept over the past four years. Those other women meant nothing to him. "I'll text you in a few days."

Orihime nodded dumbly, reaching into her purse and pulling out a card. She offered it to him with both hands and a small, customary bow. While facing the floor, she started to feel like she needed to escape. She didn't know how to do it. She didn't know if she'd be able to face him again. She didn't want to raise her head.

"Woman?" Ulquiorra asked once he was certain that he could talk without sounding like a pervert. He didn't expect the next words to come out of his mouth. It was meant to be a flippant apology, not a confession. "I want to do that again."

She turned her face up toward him expressionlessly. He kissed her. He wanted to do it again. He wasn't gay. This wasn't some rando at a club getting too frisky only to turn away once the beat dropped. No, this was her first 'real' kiss. It had been soft. It had been well-executed. It had been with a dead guy. Holy shit.

"Holy shit," she said in kind of a space cadet voice, bringing her fingers absently to her lips.

"What?" Ulquiorra was confused by her reaction. He started to reach for her again.

It was the question that seemed to suction her consciousness back to her body. Her eyes widened in realization and she backed up, plastering a too-large grin on her face. "Uh, I don't know. Um, yeah. Um, you have my number, so, you know. Let me know and I can get you on the schedule," she rambled, continuing her backward motion toward the door. She felt behind her blindly for the knob. "Anyway, it was nice to meet you-" She shook her head at herself. Idiot. "It was nice to see you again, Ulquiorra. Bye," she said as she finally got the door open and slipped out. She turned and took off down the corridor back to the gallery space like a woman on a mission.

Ulquiorra stood in that private room staring at the door; staring at the spot where she had stood. What the hell just happened? He stared at the card in his hand before pulling his phone out of his pocket. He quickly entered her number into a new contact field then tapped out a message.

_\- Get back here._

She felt her phone buzz in her purse. She didn't check it. She moved faster toward the exit, only to be pulled aside by Uryu. "Hey, where have you been? It's almost time to go. We're going to Aquamarine."

He resent the text but still didn't receive a reply. Frustrated, he flopped down onto the red couch that sat in the room and brooded.

Orihime nodded and followed along with Uryu, Markus, and the others. She needed to be distracted. She needed a lot of distraction. She grabbed another glass of wine in a plastic cup to go. It would not be her last of the evening.

* * *

All eight of the paintings being offered were sold. Ulquiorra had gone to his favorite place and gotten more ink to celebrate. He did what any lovesick fool would have done as he sat in a tattooing chair inside of a place called Candy Ink. He got a heart tattooed on the middle of his chest.

He did nothing but think of Orihime that night. He hung the other painting beside The Woman and the Moon. She had to have known why he titled the painting of her body what he did. Ulquiorra had basically told her everything she needed to know with those words.

Ugh.

It was making him sick. It was stupid. She clearly didn't want him. Why would she just stumble and back out of the room, babbling if she did?

Weeks passed. More supplies were bought. Canvases, paint, and brush cleaner. He didn't have any shows lined up for a while. There was one in four months, he thought. He tapped a couple of keys on the keyboard and checked his calendar. Nope, it was five months. His next show would be at the end of summer.

Ulquiorra texted the woman, demanding her presence. He wanted to paint her and after an hour with no reply, he couldn't stand it any longer.

Inspiration was brimming, about to spill over when he texted that number again. He set the phone down and turned on some music. Sultry jazz filled the air as he dipped his paintbrush into the blob of paint he laid down. The fuzzy sound of the brush going across the canvas was soothing to his jagged nerves.

This was familiar. This was what he knew. Him, the paint and the fresh start in front of him. It wasn't a new horizon like photography was going to be. He'd bought an expensive camera from the shop in Shinjuku. He learned how to use it. Whenever he left the apartment, he took it with him in case he saw something that inspired him. So far nothing had.

Only the memory of his mouth against hers inspired him to paint. Seeing Inoue had drudged up an old monster that wanted to consume anyone who came into her vicinity. He wanted to watch her again.

The images had not been crystal clear and Ulquiorra always suspected that Ichimaru had something to do with it. Before the other ex-shinigamis showed up, Las Noches' surveillance system was flawless. After they arrived, they had intruders, unclear camera images, and Espada dying left and right.

Hours went by or at least it felt like it. He stepped back with emerald green paint streaked down his cheek and stared at what he had painted. A distorted image of himself stared back with a yellow iris and green sclera. The same black stripes painted his face and long hair hung down the side of it. The next painting showed his normal eye but with smaller black stripes and a white helmet covering the top of his head. To complete the triptych, Ulquiorra had painted what he had looked like as the fourth Espada complete with his mask fragment.

Each painting only had one side of his face.

After he cleaned his mess, he flopped down into his computer chair and stopped the music that was playing. Silence lingered in the apartment. His phone screen lit up and he saw he had a new text message. It was from the woman.

The incoming text asked for a time and date. Hadn't he told her that he expected her to come running when he demanded? Tch. He didn't care if she had other obligations.

Ulquiorra sent a reply. He honestly did not expect her to reply. Why would she reply now since she hadn't replied to the others he had sent.

Rude bitch. No wonder she didn't have anyone in her life.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4: Manwhore**

Orihime was at the gym when she got a reply. She was eager to read it and got off her elliptical machine without cooling down. She tapped at her screen and rolled her eyes. He was still playing this game?

She tapped out a message.

_-Can't. I'm at the gym. Later may be ok. What TIME?_

She smirked and turned off her phone to hit the showers. When she came out, there was another message. It read:

\- _ Why are you at the gym when you're almost perfect? Need to work on your manners._

She scoffed. _She_ had to work on her manners? _Almost_ perfect? Who did he think he was? The message deserved a rebuke:

_-Whose manners need work? And what do you mean, "almost" perfect? Tsk tsk. What a charmer. Anyhow, I'm done at the gym. I was planning to meet up with Uryu and go out. If you want to get some work done instead, I, can probably squeeze it in, but as I said before, I'm not at your beck and call. I'm going to need you to give me a proposed time._

She sent the message and slipped her phone into her purse. Then, overwhelmed by curiosity, she picked the phone up again and pulled up the message with the address. Koenji. It wasn't that far. In fact, she thought she might have been to that building before; a designer had lived there and thrown an after-party one night. She didn't remember much about it except that there were a lot of stairs. Well, hopefully, Ulquiorra had a studio on one of the lower levels.

Ulquiorra glared at his screen. Tch, who did she think she was? He tapped out a message to her, scowling the entire time.

\- _Work on your resting bitch face, and you would be perfect. __8 pm._

She got his message right before she put her phone away. Ha! He thought he knew a thing or two? Obviously not about her. She smiled as she replied.

_-8 is gr8. My RBF is ON POINT. You're just jealous. That's saying something too; your RBF is fierce._

She giggled as she put the phone away, then shook her head at herself; she had been too quick to press send. She took her phone out again.

_-Do I need to bring anything? Do you need dirty or clean hair? I just showered, but I could do product if you need it, but otherwise, it's a blank slate._

Work before pleasure, after all.

The dark-haired man snorted. A very dirty thought crossed his mind as he sat at his desk. He had searched Orihime and had multiple pictures of her on the screen. Mostly modeling shots and artistic photos. The woman was a tiny work of art, how did she get into modeling and fashion?

_\- I can help you make it dirty. I don't have a bitch face._

The text made him smirk, but he didn't feel any remorse. Orihime She was just another woman. That's what he would continue to tell himself.

She rolled her eyes at his text. Sure you're not a bitch, she thought as she got off the train at her stop. She still had about an hour and a half before she would have to make her way to Koenji. She didn't feel the need to respond to Ulquiorra's text.

As she ate a light supper, she pondered what kind of work he would want her to do. She hoped it wouldn't be nudes; that would just be awkward. It would not be her first time, but it was different doing it for flamingly gay sculptors than it would be for Ulquiorra. Still, she was a professional. She would act accordingly.

Uryu breezed through the apartment just as she was putting her dishes away. "What the hell Hime, you're not ready!"

"No, I have a job. I may be able to meet up with you guys later. Where are you going?"

"I have no idea. I'll let you know. What job? You didn't have one this morning." Uryu was starting to sound suspicious again.

Orihime sighed. "Remember that gallery we went to with those gruesome Hueco Mundo-esque paintings?"

"Yes, how could I forget?" Uryu bitched. "You just ditched us. Markus asked for you, you know."

"Really?" she asked, suddenly distracted by this bit of information.

"Yeah, he was not impressed that you just fucked off. Where did you go, by the way?"

"Actually, I met C. Murcielago," she informed him.

"Augh, not you too, Hime? He's such a manwhore." Uryu moaned.

"What? What do you mean, 'not me too?" I didn't do anything with him!" she swallowed that lie hard. "Anyway, he wanted to ask me to do some modeling for him. I bear a striking resemblance to the figure in his most famous piece."

Uryu had to agree with here there. "Yeah, I guess. But don't go blowing off Markus anymore. I'll let him know why you did last time. He's been dying to meet Murcielago himself. Maybe you can introduce him if you get to be friendly with the guy. But between you and me, I've heard he's an asshole."

"You don't say?" Orihime said with slight amusement. _If you only fucking knew, Ishida-kun_, she thought with an inner sneer. After the bit of information she surreptitiously received from Uryu about Ulquiorra's reputation, she decided the sweats she was wearing from the gym would be a perfectly acceptable wardrobe choice. She didn't want to give him any ideas. "Welp, time for me to go. Don't wait up," she said with an ironic wink.

"Don't say I didn't warn you!" Uryu called after her as she left the apartment.

* * *

When she arrived at the address, she was a bit early, and stood in front of the building, regarding it. It was indeed the same building that she had previously visited for the designer after-party. She recalled there being no elevator. She pulled up the text with the address.

Twelfth floor.

She groaned. Good thing she was wearing sweats.

She made her way up the stairs, and by the time she reached the top, she was late and out of breath. She knocked.

Ulquiorra was in the kitchen when the knock came. He looked at his microwave, and at the time it said. The woman was late. He sighed. "One moment," he said before walking to his desk and grabbing the t-shirt he had left there. It didn't take much to put it back on his torso. He made sure his mess was cleaned up and that his computer was off before he walked back to the door and opened it.

Orihime stood there panting and clutching her side. "What would possess you to have a studio here, of all places," she wheezed.

He rolled his eyes at her. "I thought you went to the gym? This place is nothing compared to where my quarters were in Las Noches. You wouldn't know about that though. Let's just say the fourth tower was destroyed in the battle between Kurosaki and me. Get in here; you're late."

"I wouldn't have been if you had warned me there was no elevator," she grumbled as she walked in, her hands pushing into her lower back to free her ribcage as she tried to inhale more oxygen. "I'm surprised you even remember that guy. I certainly don't waste any brain cells on him," she said in a haughty tone.

"It's kind of hard to forget the guy who murdered me. You know the guy you relied on to help you kill me?" Ulquiorra wasn't bitter at all. He gave a one-shoulder shrug. "It's in the past. Water under the bridge, you know? I'll let you catch your breath. There's a chair you can sit in through there."

His pale hand pointed to the open doorway.

She followed the direction he pointed her toward, muttering, "Fair point," as she passed him. She entered into a large open room with some side tables, a computer desk and chair, and little else besides an easel and loads of painting supplies. It looked like a legit studio. She strode into the room, getting her bearings. She did not sit in the chair he had offered but did some stretches. She was modest enough to keep her back away from the entrance. "So, I know a guy who is apparently _dying_ to meet you, if you're interested. He's kind of a big deal in the scene. I don't get the impression that you really are into that kind of thing, though," she called as she bent down to press her palms on the floor.

Ulquiorra had been leaning against the wall, watching her with his arms folded across his chest. After several minutes he had to look away from her form. Whatever she was doing was going to cause him to be rude to her, and the dark-haired man did not want that. "Nah, not into impressing anyone. Why should I? He can die for all I care."

"Ouch. Tell me how you really feel, Ulquiorra. Or do you want me to call you "C"," she said, looking up at his face with a sassy smirk.

He shook his head and walked over to his desk, sitting down. Ulquiorra didn't need to stand up. If he continued to stand, then it was possible he'd do something stupid to her. "Call me as you have always called me. My name, Woman. You don't care how I feel so why should I say anything?"

She stood up and sighed. "Why would you say that, Ulquiorra." It wasn't a question. She shook her head, disappointed in him. "I may not be the same girl you kidnapped; I'm not exactly a little bundle of sunshine anymore. But I'm not cruel. I care how you feel."

"Fine," he stated. Ulquiorra stared at her, taking in how she looked and her expression. He bit his lip wondering if he should say what was on his mind. His brain was screaming at him to do it, just to see her reaction but he figured it would probably scare her off. "You want to know how I really feel? You're going to run anyways. I want to fuck you."

Orihime laughed. "Well I'll be damned, he was right."

"Who was right?"

"Uryu. He told me you were a big manwhore," she was still smiling.

Ulquiorra snorted. How the hell would that Quincy know anything about him and his personal life? He didn't fuck around with guys. They held no interest. He only liked females with funny, copper colored hair. His mouth twisted into a frown. "Yet, you're still here," he said. "You never answered my text."

She put her hands on her hips and stared him down. "I told you to make an appointment. You may be used to fangirls dropping panties whenever you want and running to you when you snap your fingers. What you do in your spare time is frankly none of my business. I'm not your fangirl, Ulquiorra. We have history. I know it's a warped take on things, but I kind of liked to imagine that we were something close to friends. I think we could be now, too. And if not, it doesn't change the reason I'm here. I'm a design industry professional. I do modeling. That is why I am here. To mod-dell," she said with emphasis.

It was then that Ulquiorra stood. He lifted an arm and pointed to the space above his desk and gave the woman a deadpan stare. "I think it's the other way around. I've seen all the pictures you've done or at least the ones that are published. I've painted over twenty images of you. They're my biggest money makers. Do you think I give a fuck if you're a "professional"? I don't. I couldn't care less." He walked over to where the short redhead stood. "Why? Why are you here? Why did you come? Curious about me? You said you're not at my beck and call so why didn't you just blow me off and go out with your precious Quincy?"

"Wow," she said with a judgmental glance in his direction. "You really don't make any sense. But, I'll answer your questions, _Ulquiorra-sama_, " she paused to glare at him before reverting to her impassive resting bitch face. "My 'precious Quincy' is my most obnoxious roommate. Gay as the day is long, overprotective, competitive, and overall a thorn in my side. He's also my only friend in the world right now, so I have to put up with him. I'm not at your beck and call. You made an appointment. I am curious about you. How couldn't I be? And what difference does it make that you make money off my image to the fact that I'm a professional model?"

He always hated her honorifics. The people he hung around always tried it, and he had corrected them, saying it was just Murcielago. He'd even corrected the gallery owner, but the man had lived in Japan so long it was ingrained in him. "It's just Ulquiorra," he said. "I've told you this before, Woman. I know I'm not making sense but the fact of the matter is nothing makes sense to me. I've only been in this world for four years. Do you know what it is like to live for hundreds of years as a powerful creature only to be reduced to a human? Do you know what it's like to hold a certain aspect of death only to realize you have feelings for someone as you're dying? Of course, you don't but can your tiny brain imagine that?"

He scoffed at her then turned. Ulquiorra was getting angry and flustered. He did not want to show her how he was feeling. "How much do you charge for a sitting fee?"

She was stunned by his admission. She had often fancied that he had developed feelings for her, but over the years she had convinced herself that it was all in her head. Despite that, this information didn't change the fact that he had a reputation to fuck anything on two legs with breasts. In a small voice, she answered. "I don't know. I'm sorry. My fee is 2000 yen per hour."

"You work for absolutely nothing. Nice. I'll pay you ten-thousand yen per hour. That should cover your twelve flights of stairs workout and any other fees you may incur." Ulquiorra turned his head to look at her. "What are you curious about?"

She was stunned. "That's too generous, Ulquiorra. I could never accept that. I don't even have an agent or anything. This is really just a part-time thing while I'm in school…" She trailed off, not sure how to continue. He asked what she was curious about. 'Everything' would be a bit broad.

"Anyway," she continued with an awkward smile, before putting her foot so deep into her mouth she was surprised she could ever breathe again, "I'm curious about why you kissed me last time."

"I thought it would be obvious or are you that oblivious?" He pivoted to face her and moved closer to Orihime. When had he started thinking of her as Orihime and not Inoue or just Woman? He gave his head a little shake. Desire laced his voice again as he stood within millimeters of her. A hand came up to cup her face. "You've been kissed before haven't you?"

Her breath stuttered. "Kind of," she breathed, very aware of his proximity.

His brow arched. "Kind of? Either you have or you haven't, Woman."

"Well," she gulped, "Never for real. Only like, random gay guys wanting to make a scene by kissing a woman…" she closed her eyes, tightly. Why couldn't she just push him away?

Maybe he misinterpreted her actions, but Ulquiorra leaned down and pressed his lips against her mouth. He did the same kiss as before but slower this time, giving her time to respond. His hand tilted her chin up just so, while the other hand found her waist. He closed the minimal gap between them.

She shut down again. Why was he kissing her? The answer should have been obvious. He had said so himself earlier. She knew she should push him away, but it felt so nice… He was good at this. He obviously had had a lot of practice. That's right. Ol' manwhore Murcielago. He was probably a walking venereal disease. That did it. That broke the spell. She brought a hand to his chest and firmly pushed. "What are you doing, Ulquiorra? I may not have said so explicitly, but I'm not here to 'fuck', as you so gently put it."

"You asked and I answered. You should know that I won't handle you with kid gloves." Ulquiorra huffed a breath out. He took a step back from her and dug into his pocket for his wallet. "I think we're done here, Woman. How much do you want me to pay you?"

She was horrified, and it showed on her face. "I am _not _one of your whores!" she whimpered, staring at him for a moment, waiting for offense to fill the place currently held by overwhelming hurt. It took about eight seconds. She turned on her heel to leave.

Oh no. She had done this the last time. He reached out and grabbed her wrist. "I don't have whores. I would never pay for sex. I took up your time. You're a model remember?"

"Then what are you trying to do now? I haven't posed for you!" she shouted. Her face was starting to get blotchy. He had seen her wear this face before.

"It doesn't matter if you pose for me or not. It doesn't matter if you sit for me or not. I am taking up your time. I will compensate you for it," Ulquiorra fumed. He didn't care if she was pissed off at him. "Why do you assume I have whores or I have a stable of women waiting for me?"

"That's really not the point. You have a reputation, and whether or not it is true has no bearing on what is happening right now," she said as the first of what would probably be many tears streaked down her right cheek. "You can buy someone else's complacency."

A scoff left his throat. It figured she would start crying. He shook his head. "I know I have a reputation, Orihime. That happens when you spend four years trying to replace someone."

He didn't have time to play these silly games with her. He told her what he wanted and if she wanted to believe the words of other people than that was her problem, not his. He never tried to lead those other women on. They had conned themselves into thinking it was more than just sex.

"What are you trying to say?" She asked between sniffles.

He answered her question with, "Figure it out."

She huffed. "I think _you_ need to figure it out, Ulquiorra. I'm not the one pretending to hire me only to throw me out after I say I am not here to sleep with you. Whatever. I hope you find what you're looking for." She yanked her hand out of his grasp and turned around, taking a deep, strained breath as she reached the hallway leading to the door.

"I'm gonna text you again," he called after her. Ulquiorra heard the door slam and winced.

* * *

He decided to give her time to cool down. So, Ulquiorra left her alone for a week. Then another week passed. He painted another three pieces in that time. Another triptych. A clawed black hand reaching out on one side. A pale feminine hand on the other and in the center they reached for a heart, that had black streaks running down the canvas in thick drips.

\- _You could have slapped me, you know. That's what most women do when they see me again._

It was an off-handed assholish apology. A cop-out but if it got her to talk to him, it would do the trick.

She didn't respond for two days. Finally, on the third day, a Saturday at 2:30 in the morning, she replied:

_-i'M not mosst othr women, Dick._

She had been drinking quite a bit and had been harassed by guys on the prowl all evening. She felt justice was owed to her, and she chose to mete it out to Ulquiorra.

He'd been painting again but this time it was something abstract. Instead of copper and turquoise swirls, it was angry black and white brushstrokes blending into gray with the same viridian color of his eyes streaking across the canvas. He picked up his phone and rubbed his eyes. Ulquiorra was tired but he wouldn't sleep until this restless energy was spent.

He chuckled at the text.

\- _I could show you a dick. But I know you're not like other women. How many other women could say they got kidnapped by a supernatural being? Go to bed, Woman._

The reply came about twenty minutes later.

_-I am in bed. How many other women have the supernatural mojo to rip your dickkkk ofan themrestore it frm sratch? That's what _i _thought, batm n._

Batman? Batman? He glared at his phone. He'd seen that masked hack and thought he had nothing in common with him. He had expected a cool superhero and instead found a regular guy who wore tights and dealt with clowns. Hmph. What had happened to this woman to make her so caustic?

_\- If you rip it off then restore it, you need to kiss it to make it better._

Her reply was immediate.

_-Gross, dude!_

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. "Like she hasn't given head or fucked anyone before," he murmured to himself before he climbed the ladder up to his bedroom. He shed his clothes and crawled onto the comfortable surface of his bed before rolling onto his stomach, propping himself up with his elbows.

\- _Do you want a dick pic? You should see it before you rip it off._

Again the reply was immediate.

_-Ew! No! Why would you think I would want to see it?_

He had a laugh at that. He knew he was trying to provoke her. What would really rile her up? Ulquiorra knew just want to do. He sent her a selfie. He was smirking in it.

_\- You're the one who wants to rip it off._

Two could play at this game. She took a selfie of her face half-buried in her pillow, her hair a wild mess all over it and her forehead and shoulder. Only one eye was visible, and it glared in disapproval. She sent it along with the message:

_-I do not, you big perv._

His eyes narrowed at the picture once it popped up. Why the hell did she look like she had a wild night? Ulquiorra's jaw clenched. He could see a bit of black hair behind her. What was this woman playing at?

\- _You alone?_

She thought nothing of it.

_\- Oh, that's just Uryu. Sometimes he has nightmares. In no small part thanks to you, actually._

She was clearly starting to sober up.

Ulquiorra shook his head and made a noise of disgust at the device he held. It wasn't his fault that Quincy boy had ended up in Hueco Mundo. It wasn't his fault that the Hollowfied human had stabbed him. The dumbass had thought that thing had been able to have a coherent thought.

_\- I didn't stab him but thanks for playing. That was all your boy._

The reply was immediate.

_\- He was never 'my boy'. I know you didn't stab him. You did cut part of his arm off though._

Oh, he was done with this bullshit. He tapped her name and pressed the phone icon. If Orihime wanted to throw words around like that he wanted to hear her voice. So he waited as it rang.

She fumbled to answer, trying not to wake her roommate. "Hello?" She whispered as she padded out of her room and shut the door.

"What do you mean he was never your boy? Didn't you and Kurosaki fuck and celebrate after it was all over?" Ulquiorra asked not bothering to greet her. He was irritated and she had caused it.

"I mean what it sounds like, we were never attached in any way beyond classmates, really. We never 'fucked'. I've never 'fucked' anyone."

He made a choked sound. What the hell did she just say? He must have been hearing things. He heard her wrong. She must have been talking about having sex or that making love bullshit. Okay, so she hadn't gotten fucked yet. Ulquiorra rolled over onto his back. "I'm sorry about the other week," he said, still unable to process her previous statement. "If you want to be friends, we can try that but my statement still stands."

She was confused by his sudden mood shift. "You want to be friends?" She asked in a guarded tone.

"I said we can try that," he answered. Ulquiorra sighed. "You know what I am and who I am. You've listened to whoever was running their mouth about me. I'm not making any promises. I still stand by what I told you last week when you were here. Take it or leave it. I will compensate you for your time even if you sit for me or not."

She sighed, but it sounded kind. "You never have to pay me for friendship, Ulquiorra. It was always yours for the taking." She paused and chuckled softly, "I still charge 2000 yen per hour to sit for you, though." There was a smile in her voice.

"How much for you to sit on me?" He didn't mean for that to come out. Ulquiorra found that his human brain was nothing like his Arrancar one. There were times he spoke before thinking things through.

"Argh," she groaned loudly.

A voice in the distance could be heard whining, "Keep it down, Bitch! I'm trying to sleep!"

Ulquiorra smiled at that. If she was gonna bother him, he'd bother her just the same. "What days are you free this week?" He asked. "And tell that asshole to shut up or I'm gonna come over there-" He stopped himself. There was nothing he could do.

"What are you going to do, Ulquiorra?" She didn't mean to say that in front of Uryu.

"What did you say?" The Quincy's voice was suddenly demanding and much less effeminate.

"Shit, I gotta go. I'll text you my availability," she said, sounding suddenly professional as she ended the call.

Ulquiorra sighed and looked at his phone as he pulled it away from his head. Fuck. That dickhead Quincy and his horrible fucking timing. It was almost as bad as Yammy. He bit his lip and looked at the picture she had sent, saving it to his phone. Why did it feel like he had just gotten the woman into a shit load of trouble?


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5: You Could Become My Style**

He didn't get a text that day. He didn't even get one the next day. Ulquiorra sat around moping while sitting at his desk, hand propping his face up. The frown seemed etched into his face. She had said she would text him. So why hadn't she?

Ulquiorra had this feeling like the tables had turned, and this was that thing called karma that came back to bite him on the ass. Was this how all those women felt waiting for him to text or call?

Tch. It was nonsense! It was bullshit.

Another hour passed and he decided to get out of his apartment. He was too annoyed with himself to stay inside any longer. After grabbing what he needed and locking his door, Ulquiorra walked down the twelve flights of stairs and onto the street. He didn't see why Orihime had complained. Those stairs weren't anything compared to the size of Las Noches. He could easily walk kilometers a day in the palace. Not that he could now. He was human.

He wandered to the trains and found himself standing in front of the fashion college a while later. He had no clue as to why he was there. He didn't know the woman's schedule. So he roamed around the area.

Uryu's scrutiny of Orihime had been intense. He was convinced that she had been having flashbacks again. She let him continue to labor in that belief, but it meant that he had been hovering all weekend, trying to get her to talk about her supposed mental trauma.

Yeah, she had seen some shit in her day. That's not what this was about though.

Finally, on Monday she got some much-needed relief from her overprotective friend. She went to her three classes and then spent a few hours in studio labs putting the finishing touches on a few patterns she had been retooling. An acquaintance popped her head in to say goodbye at around 4:30 in the afternoon and Orihime figured it was a good time to call it a day. She hadn't even had lunch yet.

She gathered her things and walked outside into the small paved courtyard in front of the impressive building, only to be faced with the cause of her current dilemma.

"Ulquiorra? What are you doing here?" She asked as she approached him quickly, trying not to draw too much attention.

He turned around when he heard her voice. "I was taking a tour of what seems to be your second home. You didn't text me," he replied. Ulquiorra felt he was being an idiot, but she had said that to him on the phone the night he had called.

"I'm sorry, Uryu has been hovering. He thinks I have been having flashbacks again," she accidentally admitted.

Ulquiorra's forehead wrinkled in concern. "You have flashbacks?" he asked.

"Well, yeah, but not for a couple of years now. I saw a lot of terrible things at a young age. Some of it you know about."

"I was responsible for some of it," he said glancing at her and then looking away. Ulquiorra sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause problems for you. I just-I needed clarification to your text."

"Don't blame yourself for everything, Ulquiorra. After you died, a lot of really horrible things happened. I'll admit, though, your death haunted me for a long time…" she looked far into the distance as she trailed off. A few seconds later her attention snapped back to the present. "Anyway, are you clear now?"

He gave her a nod. "I'm always free unless I have a show. I've not been able to paint since you hung up on me."

"Aw, I'm sorry. I swear I wasn't avoiding you on purpose. Anyway, let me get my calendar out. Actually, can we walk and talk? I'm starving."

"There's a noodle place around here. We could go there unless-" He stopped himself from saying another word. What was he doing? What was he thinking? He wasn't supposed to care about anyone, so why would he be offering to take her out… Unless it wasn't a date… Was it a date? More clarification was needed. "We can go there if you want."

She smiled. "Yes," she replied in a hungry tone. "I am dying for some kitsune udon!" She began to lead the way. When he didn't immediately follow, she doubled back and grabbed him by the elbow, pulling him along. "We are gonna want to get there before the dinner rush starts," she advised rather seriously.

Orihime was touching him. His brain screamed at him to do something. His senses were in overload mode. Why? He took a deep breath and plucked her fingers off his arm. "You can't touch me," he said, distancing himself from her slightly.

She gave him some dubious side-eye. "Okay…" she said. Didn't he keep bringing up ways he wanted to touch her sexually? Hadn't he kissed her, twice? Her cheeks began to turn pink at the memory. Well, she guessed it didn't matter anymore, he appeared to have given up that endeavor. It was just as well she supposed, and if he didn't want her to touch him that was his prerogative. She continued walking to the udon shop.

He followed along with her, noting her silence. She's the one who wanted to be friends. This was how it had to be. He could be friendly if she didn't touch him. "Would it help you out if you introduced me to your Quincy friend?" Ulquiorra asked.

Orihime's eyes widened, and she looked at Ulquiorra like he was absolutely nuts. "I doubt it…"

"Is he that resistant? Or would it cause more nightmares that would allow him to sleep with you?" The question sounded bitter.

Orihime caught his insinuation but ignored it. She rolled her eyes instead, replying, "He is… he is a broken person. He doesn't mean to be so… so…." she didn't know what she was trying to describe. Uryu was Uryu, and that was a gay man who let the memory of them getting a little physical in the past dictate that they needed always to be together. She knew it was only a matter of time before their relationship imploded. He always acted like he expected her to split at any minute anyway. It was making him clingy. That was the word. "Clingy."

The Quincy was clingy? That didn't make sense. Ulquiorra glanced at her. "Have you had sex with him?"

"No, I told you I haven't had sex with anyone." She didn't treat this as scandalous or shameful information. It just was what it was.

He squinted at her before turning the look into a scowl. There must have been something wrong with his human ears because he had to have misheard her again. "Woman, stop for a moment."

She obliged, stopping and turning her body slightly toward him so she could see his face.

"You're a virgin." It wasn't a question. He was stating the obvious as it sank into his brain.

"Yeah, it's not a big deal, okay? I mean I have fooled around a little bit, gotten a little handsy, but that's it. I've never been in a "relationship", so I just never had the opportunity. It's kind of a career hazard, actually."

He made that choked noise again. It was quiet, but it still came out. Now he felt like an absolute dickbag. Here he was spouting off that he wanted to fuck her and she had never had sex. This was just great. "I don't get it though. You say that you have only kinda been kissed? You're going to have to explain that to me because I'm not understanding." Ulquiorra looked at her, his expression serious.

She sighed. She knew her own expectations of what a kiss should be and what it should mean played into her own narrative relative to her experiences. "I need to explain my own ideas of what a real kiss is, I guess. To me, a real kiss is between two people who want to kiss each other because they want to specifically kiss that person . Maybe it's an arbitrary definition, but that's how I feel about it. Every time I have been kissed it has been because the other actor just wanted to kiss somebody; anybody. I just happened to be in the vicinity," she paused, looking at him with some significance. She didn't want to say what she was thinking, which was that she hadn't been kissed "for real" until _he_ had kissed her.

"Sorry," he muttered. Ulquiorra bit his lip then frowned. "Yeah, sorry. I didn't mean to do that to you. I wanted to kiss you. I can understand if you didn't want it."

She gave him a small smile. "Well, I'll admit, it was a good kiss," She let her smile turn into a grin. She wasn't lying. Her reaction both times was a testament to that.

He gave her a small smirk. "It should have been a great kiss. I've had enough practice. C'mon. I'm buying."

* * *

They spent a couple of hours in that noodle place talking. Well, Orihime did the talking, Ulquiorra mostly sat and listened to her go on and on about people she knew, her classmates, her roommate and other things he couldn't make sense of. He enjoyed their time together. They were about to leave when he got a call.

When he looked at his phone, he glared but said nothing while answering it. "Hello?"

"Murcielago-san… I've got great news for you." It was Armand Helden from the art gallery. He didn't even wait for Ulquiorra to reply. "I've got a buyer for one of your paintings."

"They were all sold, weren't they?"

He could hear the gallery owner huff. "I mean The Woman and the Moon. I've got an offer sitting on my desk for six million yen."

"No thanks. It's not for sale," Ulquiorra replied.

"What about four million for the other one… Uh… Midori-"

This made Ulquiorra angry, so he had cut off the man's question. "It's not up for debate. Neither of the paintings are for sale. I've told you this Armand. Good day."

He hung up the call then looked at Orihime. "Sorry. I won't sell the paintings in my loft. I constantly get offers for them."

Orihime remembered which ones he was talking about. "How come you won't sell them?"

"Because of you. They're the only things I had to remember you by. I mean, The Woman and the Moon I painted while you were a captive in Hueco Mundo. It just came to me one day that I needed to do it. I left Las Noches and came to the World of the Living. I took what I needed and then I watched you. I painted for hours, leaving your care up to other Hollows."

He cleared his throat as if talking about it made him uncomfortable which was true. The idea of manipulating her into coming with him never sat well with him. He'd been following orders. He was doing his job. "I came back to this place and put it somewhere safe."

She could scarcely believe her ears. "This is an incredible story, Ulquiorra. But it begs the question, why did you want to remember me? I was just a prisoner. A nuisance. Aizen's orders kept you out of the larger battles. I'm sure you were bored having to babysit a whiny, naive, useless little girl."

He shook his head. "I never liked fighting as an Espada. I told you that my powers weren't in my attacks. That was true. I could outwit all of them, Grimmjow played dirty."

"—I won't tell him you said that," she said, giggling.

"What do you mean? Is the Sexta alive?"

"Last I heard he was calling himself the King of Hueco Mundo. I had to go back there about two years after you died. Did Urahara tell you about the Quincy War?"

"No," Ulquiorra said. He thought back to that meeting four years ago. He remembered the man who hobbled and could only see out of one eye. "He wouldn't tell me anything about what was happening. He just gave me some documents that I could use and sent me on my way. He was the first person I had contact with who knew my background."

"Well, in that case, I'm glad you found him. Anyway, long story short, this big bad seemingly invincible Quincy killed the soul king and tried to destroy all dimensions. A lot happened. Grimmjow joined the shinigami in a "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" move. Nel came too. Anyway, the war was really bad. Kuronobody got supercharged, and I helped try to bring down the biggest bad guy, but in the end, it was Uryu who killed him, but since then we've all gone our separate ways except for Uryu and me."

There was a name he had not heard in years. He vaguely remembered the former teal-haired Tres Espada but never had any dealings with her or the blonde, Halibel. They were merely Espada who ranked above him. Ulquiorra had always answered directly to Aizen. "Kuronobody? Who is that?"

"You know, the pompous asshole who killed you?"

"Kurosaki? Do you dislike him now? What happened to that five lifetimes bullshit?" Ulquiorra asked. "Why so disenchanted with him?"

Orihime hung her head at the five lifetimes reference. "I almost forgot I had an audience. Anyway, let's just say that that kid ended up being a glory hound who never had the time of day for me or any of his friends. Then after he finally goes through puberty, he thinks he can just rock up to me and Uryu's place and proposition me. Not bloody likely!" She said, slamming her fist on the table and rattling their empty bowls.

He had to hold back a chuckle. "I practically did the same thing," Ulquiorra commented with a half smile, quirking up one side of his mouth.

"True, but you never exploited me for my power to advance your own agenda under the guise of affection. He was so manipulative. He just wanted me to be there to be a healer so he could be the big hero all the time. He never cared about what it might do to me. He never worried about how I felt or whether I could die in the process. At least you were always honest about your intentions."

What had been his intentions? To keep her there in Las Noches and defy Aizen's orders? He was supposed to let the intruders take the redhead back to Karakura, rescuing her. He was merely to protect Las Noches and hold down the fort. Instead, he had destroyed that throne room, parts of the dome of the palace and the First, Second, Third and Fourth Towers. He had probably even caused massive damage to Hueco Mundo with the Laz de la Luna he'd launched.

"Do you-Would you like to go back to my place?" Ulquiorra asked quietly. He wanted to tell her about the other painting. Suddenly the dark-haired painter felt self-conscious.

Orihime raised a single brow at him, suspicious of his motives. "What did you have in mind?" She asked carefully.

"You know, get drunk, fall into my bed naked… What do you think? I want to paint you," he said with an amused expression to mask the shyness he suddenly felt. He'd almost spilled the big secret about the second painting.

Orihime blushed hard, and bit down on her lip to suppress a giggle. "Well, my schedule is open tonight if you'd like to get some painting done." She waited for him to take the lead.

* * *

"Quit bitching," he teased as they climbed the stairs to his apartment. They were only on the seventh floor, and she was whining. "We could just go back to your apartment and get "handsy" as you put it."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" she asked, exasperated. She was noticing a pattern with him. "Why does it seem like everything revolves around sex to you? I know you haven't been alive for that long, but there are other things to think about, you know."

He stopped and looked at her. Ulquiorra had his theories why he wasn't exactly as he had been as an Espada. He had his suspicions as to why he cared about things like coffee, cigarettes and sex. This body and brain retained the vices of the last soul. Instead of giving her an answer he shrugged. "I'm male. You're female. I mean what else is there to talk about? You want to sit around and talk about nothing; about falling for each other. Tch."

She scoffed. "Well, that's not exactly what I had in mind, but most people think that topic is kind of a big deal. Anyway, I meant things like interests, preferences, schedules… Dreams? Fears? Philosophy? Religion? ...Politics?" She sounded less and less certain as she continued her list.

"This body has only several things it's interested in, Woman. Art, sex, and stimulants," Ulquiorra stated. He continued to climb the next flight of stairs. "The only dreams I have are ones of Hueco Mundo and Las Noches."

"It sounds like a bleak existence. I hoped for more for you," she muttered between deep breaths.

Ulquiorra chuckled. "Like what? Did you expect me to bare my heart to you or tell you why I reached out to you?"

She shrugged one shoulder. "I don't expect I'll ever know the answers to those questions," she spared him a smirk before looking forward again and continuing. "It's your business, Ulquiorra. You can tell me whatever you want or not tell me whatever you want. I…" she didn't know what she wanted to say suddenly. Her heart ached a bit after what she had just said. Maybe she wasn't as ambivalent as she thought.

"Why did you reach out?" he asked after a few seconds of silence. He was mulling over her words. What did she expect out of him? "Was it guilt?"

"No," she admitted, and it sounded surprisingly vulnerable. "It wasn't guilt. I just wanted to… At the time I wanted to hold on to you, I think. I didn't want you to leave me." She sounded confused as she said it.

Ulquiorra didn't say anything for the rest of the way up. He didn't know what to say to her. Why in the hell would she want that after what he had done to her? Once they reached the only door at the top of the stairs, he unlocked the door, letting her enter the loft first. When he walked in behind her, closing the door, he didn't bother taking off his shoes. He just walked into the place and went over to his computer. He tapped on the spacebar, waking the computer up. "I'm going to take some pictures of you first, if that's okay," he said, making sure to block the view of the screen.

"Oh, sure. Um, should I keep my shoes on? Where do you want me to stand?" she asked, after getting over the initial shock at seeing him completely bypass the genkan.

"Either or, doesn't matter to me," Ulquiorra said, turning to look at her. He had forgotten to close the browser before he left. Orihime already thought he was a pervert; it wouldn't do to give her more concrete proof of that. "Why do you look so scandalized? What did I do now?"

"No, it's not that big of a deal, I mean, this is your place, it's just so ingrained in me to take my shoes off in the genkan, that it's an almost instinctual reaction to scream, "Take off your shoes!" if someone forgets," she laughed. "Anyway," she said as she entered the bright part of the main space. "Do you want me to stand here? Do you want me to pose or anything or just stand around looking like an awkward little weirdo? I'm told I do that just fine."

A smirk crossed his face. Ulquiorra walked over to where his camera sat on a trunk. "Maybe I like awkward little weirdos. Make yourself at home," he said, fiddling with the different settings and such. "I'm just taking reference shots so I can fix your nose later on Midori No Ai… Maybe do a couple of new paintings. Just be normal."

Orihime tried not to blush at the backhanded compliment. She decided to brush it off. "Normal is a relative word, don't you think?" She giggled and, not having anywhere to sit, stood in the center of the room, resting her weight on one foot and crossing the other over her ankle. She clasped her hands together in front of her and looked up at the skylight. "This is a nice space, Ulquiorra," she commented.

"It should be for how much I pay every month," he muttered with a snort. He brought the camera up to his eye and pointed it at her. The lens needed to be adjusted so he did that before pressing the shutter button. He moved around the woman taking pictures every few seconds. "What do you live in, a one-room apartment? Where do you live?"

"No, Uryu's a trust fund baby. We have a two-bedroom place," she sighed heavily. "It's a nice spot, but my time there is rapidly coming to a close. I'll be graduating soon, and my lease runs out soon afterward. I'd like to strike out on my own, or at least not with him," she said the last three words slowly, carefully and _quietly,_ as if Uryu might hear her if she said it too loud.

He decided to lay the perviness on thick. "I might be in the market for a roommate, but you'd have to either share the bedroom orsleep with me," he commented. Ulquiorra tilted his head away from the camera and smiled at her before he was moving again.

"At this point, it might feel more normal to share a bed anyway," she muttered under her breath before rolling her eyes. "I thought you said you had your hands full?" she said, gesturing toward her own breasts like she was going to pick them up, then laughing at her own perceived cleverness. "I mean, I wouldn't want to cramp your style." She smiled then, looking directly into the camera.

Ulquiorra's breath caught in his throat as she looked directly at him. He was close enough that he put the camera on the desk. "You could become my style," he said walking up to her.

Now she did blush. She tucked her chin and looked up at him from under her lashes with an awkward, lopsided smile. "What are you trying to say?" she asked in kind of a kind of a cautious tone.

"I'm not trying to say anything, Woman. Just you could become my style," he replied. He wanted to reach out and touch her but didn't.

She raised her eyebrows. She couldn't tell whether he was being obtuse or clever. "Well, one day when I have my own brand, I could be your style; I suppose, but I haven't yet branched out into menswear." She answered as if that was all there was to it. She wasn't going to try to guess what he meant.

Shaking his head, Ulquiorra sighed. "Really? Really? Are you-Nevermind."

"What?" she asked, mildly offended. "You don't like my aesthetic?"

He continued to shake his head. "You're oblivious, aren't you? I've told you all this stuff, and you still don't get it." Ulquiorra turned and walked away from her, grabbing a sketchbook from the trunk and a pencil. He grabbed his computer chair and shoved it towards her. "Sit."

She did. The chair seat was a bit high for her and it rolled a bit as she tried to get situated. Her legs dangled off the floor. "I feel like a child," she complained quietly, not to him, just out loud. She finally brought her legs up and crossed them in a lotus position on the seat. "That's better," she murmured. "This ok, Boss?"

Ulquiorra turned around and stared at her. Did she just call him boss? That sent a funny jolt through him; one that he didn't like. It made him feel uncomfortable but turned on at the same time. "You wouldn't feel like a child if you were taller. You are rather short, Woman."

He had to keep himself in check.

"Yeah, tell me about it. I've heard that about a million times. You wouldn't believe the kinds of things people will say right to my face like it's not a big deal. "You're too short," "You look too young," "You're not commercial," "Your boobs are grotesque," "You belong in porn, not fashion," Ugh. I swear, Ulquiorra. I can be very discouraging."

Boobs? Porn? He had to bite down on his tongue to keep the first thing that came to mind from leaving his mouth. He practically threw the sketchbook and pencil down before he was over at the chair. Ulquiorra bent down and captured her mouth with his in an affectionate way. He had to hold onto the armrest to keep the chair from rolling. There was enough room for two people in the chair. He knew this.

Ulquiorra nudged her leg with his knee to get her to move them. Then he was sitting on her lap, kissing Orihime, cupping her face, tilting it up. He was the one to break that kiss too. "You're about perfect," he murmured to her before giving her another kiss.

She was in a cloud. Before she knew what was happening he had kissed her. It was soft. It was sweet. When he climbed into her lap, her heart melted into a puddle. It was the cutest thing ever, and if she had been capable of speech at that moment, she would have said, "Aww!"

But then, the kiss continued. She began to feel something different. This wasn't like Uryu's sad kisses or the meaningless, lackluster dancefloor kisses. This was a real one. A really real one.

Now, what should she do?

Orihime was going to allow this? His brain went into overdrive at all the things that he could potentially get away with, but he had to remind himself that she was technically a virgin, no matter how many gay guys she had fooled around with. Ulquiorra moved his hands from her face, down her neck and to the outer curve of her breasts. They weren't grotesque. What person did not like a woman with more than a handful?

Throughout her short adulthood, Orihime had systematically desensitized herself to unwanted sexual advances. Uryu and his friends would never take it too far, she always thought, so she had become tolerant toward a lot of things that many other women would consider assault. She had frequently had her breasts groped, nearly as frequently as she had had a tongue shoved into her mouth. Her initial reaction to Ulquiorra doing it was the same as her previous experience. Tolerance.

But, this was not a gay club. This thought began to echo through her brain, and the idea that she might be tempting fate started to join it. Another thought joined: She was more than tolerating this. She was _enjoying_ it. Before she knew what she was doing, she whimpered.

The noise hit his ears. He had heard women moan and simper before him before. It was nothing new but, none of those women were Inoue Orihime. Ulquiorra pulled back slightly to look at her. He could never tell her how or what he felt. She would probably just laugh it off anyway. "Woman," he breathed.

Her complexion was rosy and her eyes were glassy and dilated as they met his, his own pupils nearly human-looking in their open state. She exhaled slowly in response to his utterance, her brow wrinkling slightly and her mouth relaxed. She just stared at his eyes, looking for an answer to a question she didn't know. Her head tilted slightly, and she smiled just a bit. She wasn't sure what had brought this on. Was it love? Was it lust? Was it affection? Was it loneliness? She understood those feelings. She felt connected to him. She picked up one of her hands and laid it on his chest. "There it is," she murmured, looking down at it and smiling a bit wider, before looking back up to his eyes.

His cheeks burned. Ulquiorra felt silly. He felt stupid. This woman had done something to his brain years ago that he couldn't shake off. That feeling of attraction; of fondness; of possessiveness intruded on those nihilistic thoughts years ago and infected him. He liked it though. Even as he was dying, he had reached out a hand to her, wanting her even though she was the indirect cause of said death. "Don't, Woman. I know what you're talking about; that heart bullshit. I've had a heart. It beats."

She inhaled slowly through her nostrils as she straightened her spine and pushed back against his chest gently. "Indeed it does," she responded, raising one eyebrow. The glow quickly faded from her cheeks, and she pursed her lips at Ulquiorra. "Don't do that again, okay? You're going to give me the wrong idea."

The moment was over. Of course, it was. He had said the wrong thing. He always said the wrong thing. He rolled his eyes as he stood back up. Ulquiorra looked down at her before he retrieved the sketchbook and the pencil he was going to use. The lead had broke. "Don't do what? What kind of wrong idea would I give you?" he asked as he looked through the cup on his desk for a sharpened drawing implement.

She groaned. "I should have taken you up on the ten thousand yen per hour thing; I'm not getting paid enough for this bullshit, Ulquiorra," she answered, leveling a wry smile at him. She wasn't angry. She was used to being led on; she had learned to take it in stride early on.

He sat down in front of the chair, glancing up at her. "You're the one who can't take a hint. I've been about as subtle as Yammy entering a room," he grumbled.

She chuckled at that. "That's true, I think you waited a whole three minutes after meeting me at the gallery before you told me you wanted to screw. I'm not oblivious, Ulquiorra. I know we have chemistry. That's not the issue," she said kindly. She was fine letting things simmer back down to a friendship if that was all he was willing to offer her. She was not going to let herself fall for him. She knew that it would hurt a lot if she did. He said so himself, hearts were bullshit.

"You're fucking blind," he muttered before looking up at her. He had to study her. Ulquiorra put the pencil down onto a clean page from the sketchbook and with light strokes began to draw what he wanted to paint. "You had to have known those two paintings were of you. You knew they were. Who else could have painted them and why would someone paint them?"

"I know they were of me. I don't know why you painted them. Why don't you tell me?"

Ulquiorra shook his head. Nope, he would never say why he painted them. He would never speak the words. He did it because he wanted her. He did it because he had fallen in love with her. He had done the paintings because he was in love with her. Glaring at her for a moment, he averted his gaze, back to what he was working on. "I've already told you in so many words," he replied.

"You may think so, but to me, you are a mystery," she said fondly. "You always have been. The way you speak sounds like riddles…." she paused and looked to the side, darting her eyes back and forth for a minute and blushing again, before looking back up at him in an embarrassed expression. "I take that back. Sometimes you are exceptionally blunt. But you know, I always liked that about you."

"Hypothetically, if I told you I cared for you or harbored feelings for you, what would you do?" He didn't look at her. He concentrated on sketching.

Her blush intensified. "I think I would probably be happy. I don't know what I would do, per se. Nobody has ever said something like that to me before."

"Remove the hypothetically then."


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6: Let Me Kiss You**

_Remove the hypothetically? _Was he confessing that he had feelings for her? How could that be? After all this time?

"After all this time?" she whispered the thought aloud.

He remained silent. The only sound that came from him was the sound of the pencil on the paper. Ulquiorra wasn't going to say anything. Why should he repeat himself?

She watched him as he scribbled on the paper. He had a piece of hair tucked behind one ear. That visible ear was bright red. Her heart swelled. "Ulquiorra? Can I say something, just once, and have you promise not to reject it or refute it?"

His head went up and down once.

He wasn't looking at her. This wouldn't do. She stood up off the chair and knelt in front on him. She lowered her head until it was at a lower level than his, so that if he chanced a look in her direction, she would be able to catch his glance. She took a deep, steadying breath. "Ulquiorra, Thank you. Thank you for telling me the truth back then, thank you for believing in me. Thank you for saving my life and for stopping that useless shinigami. Thank you for reaching out to me. Thank you for opening my eyes. Thank you for not deserting me. Thank you for coming back to life. Thank you for painting me—" she couldn't continue although she had a lot more to say; she had become too emotional.

Ulquiorra brought his head up. He heard her moving around but didn't expect her to be this close to him. Her dark eyes were staring at him like she knew all of his secrets and would tell the world. He took a deep breath. On one hand, he could accept her gratitude. On the other, he wanted to brush her off and sweep it under the rug.

She was expecting him to be something he couldn't be. That's what every woman did to him. They expected him to be more than what he was. It was always, "Call me," or "Text me." But this wasn't other women. This was _THE WOMAN_. The one he had been searching for since he found out he was alive and human again. He nodded. "I would have-Okay I wouldn't have done it for anyone else but-" He leaned forward and touched her lips with his own, barely grazing them. "You're welcome."

She choked on a sob and wrapped her arms around his neck, careful not to tug his long hair. He set his sketchpad aside, and she took the opportunity to crawl into his lap this time. She pressed her eyes into the top of his shoulder and cried. After a few painful rasps, she apologized into his shirt. She made no move to let go though.

He rolled his eyes. She was always crying. Crying because her friends were hurt. Crying because she was leaving her boyfriend or whatever he was. Crying because people were dying. She had been human for a lot longer than he had been. He had become a Hollow at a young age. He'd been a Vasto Lordes for centuries before spending another as an Espada. He did what he saw other men do to comfort women and patted her back several times. "I'm gonna fuck up; I hope you realize that," he said, his face close to her hair. "The soul that was in this body before mine...It was screwed up. Sometimes I do things that don't make sense."

Orihime sniffled and straightened up. She hadn't even gotten to the part of her speech where she confessed that she had never moved past his death or that she had harbored feelings for him, and now that he was alive, they had come back stronger than ever. She _hadn't_ said it yet. Her pride was still salvageable. She screwed up enough courage to smile at him. She nodded. "I don't know anything about that. I'm sure you'll do what you need to do. I'll support you."

Tch. She said that now but what about when he did the things he did? Could he give up his ways? He'd have to give up his ways if he wanted her. "You know those things that you've heard about me? They're true, Woman. I've had women call me all sorts of nasty names. I've had women throw drinks at me. I'm referred to as an asshole; a fuckboy I think one woman said."

She backed off his lap and climbed back into the chair, smiling the entire time. Her makeup was a mess. "Wanna see something cool?" She asked.

"What?" he asked, looking up at her. His gaze was flat.

Her smile took a mischievous glint as she put a hand into the neck of her shirt and pulled at her bra strap, then came back out with a little blue trinket. "I reject," she whispered.

He couldn't see anything except for the mess on her face, swollen eyes, smeared mascara, and all, fading from existence. It was as if the whole thing never happened.

"There now," she said calmly after it was over, returning her clip to her bra. "Thanks for listening to me babble. I have been holding onto that for a long time. I won't charge you for the emotional stuff," she pulled some hair out of her face self consciously and laughed. "You don't have to worry about me taking what you said out of context. You have to be yourself, right? I accept you for who you are. I hope you can do the same."

Ulquiorra gave her a wary glance before he nodded. He didn't know how to answer that. Ever since he came back to life, he hadn't been himself. There had never been a previous need for the drugs; legal or illegal. There had been no craving for someone else's body when he was a Hollow. Half the time as a member of the Espada, he didn't even sleep. He had only drank that bitter tea that Aizen made them drink. He ate those nasty crisps that the Adjuchas that were enslaved in the kitchen prepared.

"There's nothing to take out of context. I said what I said. I meant what I've said," he finally voiced.

"I know. That's why I said that. I know you are unwilling to change yourself for me or anyone else, and I accept it. I can offer you my unrestrained friendship," she said with only a small squint of her eyes indicating that she felt any pain in saying so. "You're going to have to stop kissing me though, or I'm going to fall in love with you, and then we'd really have problems," she said with a lame laugh. She then shook her head and smiled again. It didn't reach her eyes at all.

"You didn't even have to kiss me for that to happen," he stated as he picked up the sketchbook again. It only took a few seconds for him to realize what he had said to her. Ulquiorra's eyes went wide, and his head snapped up to look at her.

She looked like her heart was being ripped out of her chest. "You're in love with me?"

Shit. He'd painted himself into a corner. He might as well tell her. It would be out in the open, and she would stop with this nonsense about hearts and shit. After about a minute, Ulquiorra nodded his head. He looked down at the drawing in his hands and sighed. "I thought it was obvious."

She didn't know how to feel. "It wasn't obvious. It isn't obvious. Perhaps our understanding of love is completely different. To me, it means to care about someone more than you care about yourself. You've told me in nearly the same breath that you love me and that you would, if we were together, fuck around on me. It's not obvious."

He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Just warning you," he replied. Ulquiorra's eyes flickered up to her face. "We-I understand if you can't handle that."

"Good, then I don't have to explain it to you," she said, turning her face away, bringing her knees to her chin and wrapping her arms around them. She sighed. "It figures, doesn't it?" She inhaled like she might say something else, but let the breath go in a heavy, defeated exhalation. She was letting go of him.

"You done for today?" He asked. Ulquiorra knew he had screwed up. This stupid human body with its idiotic brain and its damn beating heart. He got to his feet, placing the bundle of paper onto his desk. "If you don't want to see me again, I can understand that too."

Her answer was very quiet. "I offered you my friendship, and I meant it. I still mean it. I am tired though. I'd like to go home."

Ulquiorra nodded and fished a ten-thousand yen bill out of his wallet and handed it to her. "Compensation, right? I took up a lot of your time today."

She would have argued with him about the amount being too generous if she trusted herself not to break down if she spoke. She bowed slightly as she took the money and put it in her pocket, then turned toward the exit.

* * *

A week passed.

He painted. He drew. He blended and smudged. Nothing came out right. The inspiration was there, but nothing was to his liking. This was probably retribution for what had happened with Orihime. Ulquiorra didn't text her. He didn't call her.

Another week passed.

He felt like a complete ass about it.

What was he to do?

There was nothing that he could do. Orihime probably didn't want anything to do with him. They would be friends. That was it. His phone vibrated on his desk, and he picked it up to look at the screen. Armand was calling. He dismissed the call.

If the gallery wanted to show his paintings, they would have to take the request to his agent like everyone else. Just that morning his guy told him that several people wanted interviews and audiences with him. A fashion designer was one; an art critic; some college students. He'd talk to the students but not the other two. He didn't want to talk to anyone that wasn't her.

Another week passed, and he fell further into this funk. He went out with his neighbors, but he didn't say much. He just watched them and brooded over Inoue Orihime. What was stopping him from reaching out to her? Hadn't he already done that once? Granted he was a monster when he did it but still, he had taken the initiative then.

He could text her. They were just words. Words could be brushed aside. So he did just that, pulling his phone from his pocket.

_\- Been thinking about you._

It was lame, but it was the truth.

She had been pretty down and heartbroken after she left Ulquiorra's place that night. She didn't have anybody to talk to about it; nobody except possibly Uryu would be able to understand the situation _partially_, and there was no way she was telling him, especially now that he officially had a boyfriend.

He was busier than ever. Much to her relief, he had been spending more and more overnights with Markus. It was nice having the place to herself, and after her encounter with Ulquiorra, she didn't want to have to fend off any unwanted hands. She was officially done with that nonsense. It wasn't until after she experienced real affection from Ulquiorra that she realized how much the superficial physicality she had been participating in hurt her. It had made her feel like an object.

Ulquiorra didn't make her feel like an object. He didn't make her feel loved, either, but he did make her feel special. That was something she had never felt before. Despite being objectively and unequivocally special, she never _felt_ it. And even though he had disappointed her and left her aching, Ulquiorra seemed to have been honest.

She hadn't had too much time to brood over it though; she had been busy too. Uryu had set her up to work with Markus for his winter collection as Aki had suggested. Orihime spent a good deal of time when she was not at school or working over at Markus' studio for fittings and tailoring. The garments had to be rebuilt to suit her particular body shape. It was a challenge that Markus both welcomed and reviled.

She was standing on a pedestal, wearing a long dress with a train, full of what had to be 6,000 stick pins, when she received a text.

Her heart raced when she saw it. "Been thinking about me? Tell me about it," she said out loud as Markus' assistant ignored her.

She wrote back:

_\- Same._

Sitting in that booth surrounded by people he didn't really like, Ulquiorra looked at Orihime's text. He bit his lip before frowning at his screen. She had been thinking of him? It was probably nothing good. That one word could fuck him up. He wouldn't let it, but it had that potential.

Maybe if he called her, things would be better explained but what could he say to her? That he'd changed his ways? It would be a lie. Even though he was stressing out over her, he still had sex with two unknown women since Orihime left his loft. He hadn't stopped his fuckboy ways, but he significantly reduced the quantity.

_\- Thinking anything good about me or is it all bad?_

Her reply came a few short moments later.

_\- I have been thinking the same thing I've thought about you for the past six years. I miss you._

Oh man. Oh, fucking man. Ulquiorra had been expecting some bullshit answer. The woman wasn't trying to sugarcoat anything. She hit him harder than any of the Espada had in his lifetime.

_\- Free tonight? Later? I want to see you, Woman._

She raised her eyebrows at his response. She didn't expect him to be so eager. She asked Markus' assistant about the status of the garment she was working on. The prognosis wasn't good.

_\- Not likely. I'm bound by a thousand needles right now, lol. I'm doing a fitting for Markus. His assistant assures me we won't be done until well into the morning._

His lip curled into a sneer but he quickly hid it with a scowl. Ulquiorra excused himself from the group and left the place they had gone to, walking toward his apartment building. Who the fuck was Markus? Why was she around needles? Why would an assistant tell her she wouldn't be done until morning? He sighed with disgust, hoping Orihime hadn't been stupid and done something like gotten a deal for some porn.

_\- Wtf is Markus? What kind of fitting? Why won't you be done until then?_

"He seems awfully curious," she said aloud again, expecting to be ignored this time.

_\- Markus is a designer. A rather big deal up and coming designer. He's also Uryu's new boyfriend :) I'm being fitted for an evening gown of some sort, all I know is that it's black and super heavy. There are a zillion stick pins in it so they can fit it to my big ass. That's why it's going to take so long :/_

Ulquiorra shook his head. "There isn't a thing on her that is big except her tits," he mumbled to himself.

_\- Your ass isn't big. It's quite nice. Almost perfect, remember?_

She rolled her eyes.

_\- Such a charmer you are. Anyway, if I'm "almost perfect", what are my flaws?_

He chuckled as he walked.

_\- RBF. The way you kiss me. Your complaints about 12 flights of stairs._

She scoffed.

_\- I'll have you know that RBF is an asset in this industry! I have never kissed you, btw. You're right about the stairs though._

"She never kissed me. What a load of bullshit." Ulquiorra glared at the phone as he quickly tapped out a message.

_\- Nope? We never kissed? Must have been my imagination then. But that's a flaw._

She sighed.

_\- I never said we never kissed. I said I never kissed you. You kissed me plenty of times, lol._

Ulquiorra was rendered speechless for a moment. She had him there. She definitely had him there.

_\- So come over after your done and do it? LOL. Serious tho._

She hated herself for swooning. _ Hated_. She knew that if she was going to be friends with him, she was going to have to learn to navigate his flirty behavior.

_\- As tempting as that sounds there is absolutely no way. I meant what I said last time._

A groan left him. So she didn't trust him, or she was still iffy about the whole thing.

_\- Fine then, let me kiss you. We'll get drunk, fall into my bed and I'll seduce you with my lips. lol, jk. I want to see you sometime this week if you're free._

She whined. This wasn't fair. Since their first meeting at the gallery months ago, she had been nurturing a crush on Ulquiorra that was currently the size of Mt. Everest. It wouldn't take much for him to woo her and subsequently, and according to him, inevitably, break her heart. Nope, she had to nip this in the bud.

_\- Unwise I think. I told you that if you do that, I'll fall in love with you and we can't have that, right? ;) I'm not what you want. But, I'd be more than happy to meet up for coffee or to go out or something if you're up to it._

How was it that six years after his death, this woman still managed to frustrate him? How? She had only been in his life for a couple of months, and yet, he was itching to touch her. He had almost done it inside of Las Noches, but his fingers had hovered scant millimeters from her.

_\- We could have that. You could be my style, remember? I need a reason for brand loyalty. I'll take you up on the coffee though._

Her blood pressure spiked when she read his message. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? That he _wanted_ her to be in love with him? That he was willing to offer her loyalty? She needed to breathe. The weight of the skirt pinned to her body was not helping things. She fanned her face with her hands and blew deep breaths out of her mouth. Finally calmed down about five minutes later, she responded:

_\- Coffee it is then. I'll need it tomorrow. You free?_

He was going to try this out, but he had an inkling that there was a good chance he was going to fuck this all up. Ulquiorra could feel it in his bones.

_\- Sounds good. I'll carry you up to my apartment since you'll be drained of energy from carting around the Quincy's boyfriend's rags. Text me when you get here._

Huh? Had she missed something?

_\- are you saying you want to make me coffee?_

His reply came a couple of moment later.

_\- I can make coffee, and I can cook. But if you think Ima poison you, we can go out._

She laughed.

_\- You cook? Anything good? Got a specialty?_

Ulquiorra thought about it for a moment. The only things he knew how to make especially well were enchiladas and French toast.

_\- Uh, not really. I try my hand at everything. I can follow recipes tho. You know while I was spying on you, you cooked some really weird shit._

So he had been talking big. Figures. She smirked when she read his assessment of her cooking.

_-I still do cook weird shit. It spreads the groceries out further that way. Anyway, I will probably crash til about 11 or 12 tomorrow if you want to meet up sometime after that. Any ideas?_

Should he? Shouldn't he? Ulquiorra was on the fence, but he decided that if he was going to get anywhere, he needed to take some risks.

_\- You can come sleep in my bed. No one will slip in beside you. I promise._

Again her blood pressure was being problematic. She didn't wait to calm down this time.

_\- Huh? Trying to relieve our good ol' Hueco Mundo days? Wanna watch me sleep? Weird hobbies, guy. Truly weird. You know, if this goes til really late, like say after 9 in the morning, I may take you up on it for a little bit. Markus' place is a lot closer to yours than it is to mine. I think I'm already technically in Koenji._

Ulquiorra was surprised she was even going to consider it. He'd change his sheets just in case she did.

_\- Old habits die hard, Woman. I liked watching you sleep. It was my favorite part of the day._

_-I bet. It was the only time I shut up. Lol._

_\- Except for when I threatened to tie you down and force things down your throat._

The dark haired man smirked, but it quickly faded. That may have been too much.

She shuddered at that memory.

_\- Yeah, thanks for that lovely memory. Keep it up, and you may have a memory of your own to revisit: the sting of my hand as it cracks across yo face! Boom! (Mic drop)_

Tch. This woman didn't scare him. The only reason she got to slap him the first and ONLY time was because of the fact that, a.) he was unprepared for it and b.) had he not turned his head, she probably would have broken her hand on his Hierro.

_\- Bring it Tiny._

* * *

Orihime didn't get finished with her fitting until nearly ten in the morning, and she was absolutely knackered. Dead on her feet. Exhausted. After Markus' assistant got her out of the gown and she changed back into her skirt and buttoned top, she took out her phone.

_\- Dude, you up? Tiny is tired…_

Ulquiorra had been dozing in his bed. He had woken up earlier but just laid there drifting in and out of sleep. He felt the vibration on his chest and picked up the phone. It was Orihime. He sighed. He should have directed her to go home. She didn't need the stress of him being in her life.

_\- I'm up in more ways than one. ;) You here already?_

She was too wiped out to be offended.

_\- Your problem, not mine. On the way. ETA 7 minutes. Not including stairs._

He laughed as he got out of bed and pulled on some sweats and a solid color t-shirt. Ulquiorra didn't think that answering the door naked would have gone over well. After climbing down the ladder, he walked over to where his shoes and keys were, grabbing both of them before he put the footwear on and then exited the apartment. He didn't really need to lock the door since he was just going downstairs but still, Ulquiorra felt better doing it.

Once he was halfway down the 12 floors, he texted her back.

_\- It could be your problem. Did you want coffee or food first? Or just sleep?_

She was about halfway there when she got his text.

_\- Um, maybe sleep, lol. But do you have any booze? I may need a drink to settle down. I'm coming up on a Lawson though._

He twisted his mouth in a grimace. He didn't have any alcohol in the loft. He only drank socially. This body could pick up addictions easily.

_\- Pick up something for yourself. Ain't got shit here except coffee and water._

She read his text and replied as the automatic doors opened and a chime played on her way into the convenience store. She replied,

_\- Do you want anything?_

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow as he walked into the lobby of his building. He didn't care if she was tired. He was going to be his new self. The one she expected.

_\- You._

She was deciding between a cheap bottle of wine or some premixed vodka thing when her phone chimed. She read and pursed her lips.

_\- Do they teach you how to make come-ons at every opportunity at artist college? Last call, I'm almost done here._

He shook his head at her text. She was frustrating him, but it was to be expected. At least he planned on it. He basically bared his heart to her and had told her that he'd probably fuck around on her. She said, friends. She could absolutely shoot him down.

_\- I'm fine._

She smirked as she paid for her 300 yen bottle of Mon Frere Dry Red and read his text. Had she bested him? Well, then it was time for the finishing blow.

_\- Yeah, you are._

Ulquiorra left his building and went outside, it was light outside, but he couldn't care less. He could feel himself becoming disgruntled. Yeah, he was? What the hell did she mean by he was fine? He had never heard of this term before in the four years he'd been alive.

_\- Whatever. I'm outside waiting for you._

His downstairs neighbor saw him and offered him a cigarette, Ulquiorra thought he was going to need it for the upcoming encounter, so he took it. It might make him less nervous.

Orihime came around the corner a moment later and saw him with a cigarette in his mouth. She didn't know he smoked. He looked kind of hot doing it. He was facing his neighbor as she crept up to his side. "Can I have a drag?" She whispered slightly behind him.

The Novelist, as Ulquiorra knew him as, was talking about his new story he was working on or something. All the dark-haired man did was basically nod and smile. He heard her voice and turned his head giving her a side-eye glance. "What?" He asked, after removing the lit cigarette from his mouth, moving so he could look at her better.

"I asked if I could have a drag," she said in her normal voice. "Oh, first things first," she said, bringing the bottle up and twisting the screw-top off, then taking a long sip. "There. I only smoke when I'm drinking."

He licked his lips and then held out the cigarette to her. "Huh," he stated. Ulquiorra could not believe that goody-two-shoes Inoue Orihime drank, smoked and kissed gay guys. "You look like death warmed over. That dickhead shouldn't keep you so late."

She ignored him in favor of the cigarette, taking a long drag and passing it back to him, still inhaling as she did. Then she closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, smiling at the end. "That was just what I needed." She opened her eyes and looked at him with an unimpressed expression, finally responding, "thanks a lot. I call you fine, and I get "death warmed over". Really nice," she looked around Ulquiorra to make eye contact with the novelist and said, "Would you get a load of this guy?" She said, pointing at the artist with her thumb.

"I know exactly what you need," Ulquiorra muttered. He finished the smoke before stubbing it out and putting it into the receptacle by the building's door. "You ready to go up?"

She screwed the top back onto her wine bottle and nodded. "After you."

Ulquiorra wasn't rude, and he bid his neighbor farewell before opening the door for her. He went in after her and said, "You can walk six floors then I'll carry you the rest of the way."

She laughed. "You seriously think you can carry me up six flights of steps? You're not an Espada anymore. And you're a smoker. I may be "tiny", but I'm not exactly light." She smiled at him. "I'll do my best, and if need be you can drag me," she laughed again.

"I am not familiar with this term, fine." Ulquiorra looked over at her as they began to climb the stairs. "What does it mean?"

"Oh, like how I said it before? It means you're attractive." She said it like it was obvious and not an admission.

"You think I'm attractive? Nice," he commented. Ulquiorra started laughing. "I only smoke once in a while. It's not an everyday thing. This body… It does weird things."

"I've always thought you were attractive. How else did you think you could lure a sixteen-year-old girl to the depths of hell?" She laughed at her own joke. "Anyway, what kind of weird things?"

Ulquiorra told her. Maybe she could make sense of it. "I woke up with a needle in my arm. I had a need for coffee and other drugs. This body wants sex. I had no need for any of that as an Arrancar. I thought souls were supposed to be born into infant bodies, not fully grown males who OD'ed in a crackhouse."

She grimaced. "That's nasty. Sorry, Ulquiorra, that had to be an awful way to wake up." She paused and studied him for a minute. "Do you know anything about the guy this body used to be?"

He shook his head. "All I know is that this body likes things I had no interest in as a Hollow. "

"No interest at all?" She asked with a sly smile before continuing, not giving him a chance to respond. "Well, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but it sounds like you were born addicted to drugs, so make sure you stay away from them. As far as the sex thing goes, you are a lot more aggressive than some guys, but there are plenty just as bad as you. In fact, that orange headed dipshit makes you look like a monk," she paused to breathe, the stairs making her winded. "Anyway, you aren't a hollow now, you're human, and you're going to have human instincts. We all do. We just have to deal with them."

He opened his mouth then shut it again. He could have answered her question but what was the point. She wouldn't listen to him anyway. "I have stayed away from them. Now it's mostly coffee all day. I drink and smoke whenever I go out. I don't make it a point to go out often."

"That's right! I saw you out that time ages ago. Uryu said I was imagining things, but I was sure it was you. Why didn't you talk to me? You were staring enough."

"That was really you?" Ulquiorra scowled as they reached the seventh floor. "I thought it looked like you. I thought there was a resemblance but-Why would I talk to you? Besides you had that guy practically fucking you in the middle of the place."

"That guy was Uryu. He is no more likely to fuck me than Santa Claus," she said giving him a heaping dose of side eye.

He returned the glance before he stopped walking, standing on the step. He had to know. He needed to know what she intended. "Stop for a second. What do you want, Woman? I need to know in plain speak what you want."

She was grateful to stop, bending over with her hands grasping her bare thighs and huffing out heavy breaths. "What do I want about what?" She asked after a minute, tilting her head sideways to see his face.

"You. Me. Us. What do you want? You can't keep saying shit like that and not expect me to respond to it."

"Shit like what? I'm just making conversation."

His scowl deepened and he narrowed his eyes. "What about Kurosaki? You were all about him back then. How likely is he to fuck you?"

She scoffed. "Well, I think if he had his way he would have already. It's never gonna happen though so he can keep looking," she said bitterly.

Ulquiorra tilted his head and looked at her. "What about me? I want to know what you want from me."

She moved her eyes off of his face and blushed. "I, um, I just want to see how it goes, I guess."

"You-Okay, fine," he grumbled. "Let's go. I'm sure you're tired."

"I am tired, but I don't want you to be upset with me. What do you want me to say, Ulquiorra? 'Oh yes, I'll just throw all caution to the wind and walk straight into certain heartbreak?' I have to look out for myself. Nobody else will."

"I'm not upset. I'm not expecting you to do that. Why should I give up my life when you can't tell me why I should?" Ulquiorra gave a growl of frustration. "I have done nothing but search for you for the past four years. Urahara wouldn't tell me shit about you. I've tried replacing you, and that didn't work. You don't get it do you, Woman?"

"Enlighten me," she demanded. It was a challenge.

He huffed and rolled his eyes. "It won't make a difference."

"How do you know? It might." Her lack of sleep was having an effect on her filter.

"I told you the last time you were here that I had fallen in love with you and all I got was thanks, and we can't do this because I'll break your poor fragile heart," Ulquiorra snapped. Without warning, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. It didn't take him long to reach the top floor, and when he did, he was winded. He put her down before unlocking his door.

She yelped when he picked her up like a caveman. He moved a lot quicker than she would have thought possible and she found it hard to breathe in her position, so she kept quiet until they got inside his place.

He took off the trainers he was wearing before he walked into the other room. He was angry, not at her but at himself for saying anything to her about what he felt. It wasn't her business. She probably felt sorry for him. The poor lost soul that didn't go to hell and got stuck in an addict's body. Ulquiorra crossed his arms over his chest and frowned.

She watched him stomp away and worried about what to do. Should she leave? She certainly didn't feel welcome anymore. Quietly she took off her low heels and padded over to his kitchen, setting her bottle and purse on the counter, before looking up and around the space. She saw him standing in front of a window with his back to her. "I'm sorry my heart is fragile."

"Humans are fragile. I've learned that. There are glasses on the shelf out there," he replied, not looking at her. Frankly, he was tired of all of this. He'd been chasing her for years. Why had he expected her to just fall for him?

"Yeah, I'm not really in the mood for this anymore," she said. She wasn't being petulant or dramatic. Her stomach was roiling. For whatever reason, she crumbled at his disapproval. She unscrewed the bottle and brought it to the sink, turning on the faucet, and started to pour it out slowly, trying not to splash everywhere.

He turned his head to look at her and what she was doing. She was throwing a fit; that's what it seemed like to him. She was being a brat. "You know you have a strange sense of friendship, Woman," Ulquiorra said.

She furrowed her brows. "I don't know what you're talking about. You keep thinking you are dropping obvious hints about whatever you're thinking but I don't know you well enough to know what they are. I'm tired too, so my mental capacity is not working on all cylinders. To me, it sounds like you just want to keep me guessing all the time only to say, "Ha! You're wrong!" She paused to fill the empty bottle with water and a bit of soap to rinse it. "I'm so tired," she murmured, more to herself than him. She vaguely regretted taking him up on his offer to come over, but the alternative at this point seemed impossible. She wouldn't even make it down the stairs.

He wasn't being subtle. Ulquiorra had never been subtle. "I'm about as subtle as a brick through a window. You let your Quincy friend sleep with you and appear to almost have sex with you in public. You could have told me to fuck off, but every time I kiss you, you allow it. Why would you sleep in the bed of someone who wants to dick you down?"

She was frustrated. She was tired. She was sick of his 'woe is me' bullshit. "I dunno, Ulq, maybe I wanted to get dicked. Maybe I wanted to get to know you. Maybe I wanted to give you a chance. Maybe you'll never know unless you stop assuming what I'm thinking and JUST FUCKING ASK!" She whined the last part shrilly, too sleepy and delirious to self-censor.

"C'mon woman. The bed is up there." Ulquiorra moved towards her and took Orihime's hand and led her into the studio then pointed at the ladder. "If you need a shirt or something look in the dresser up there. I'm going to paint."

She sighed and looked to the ground briefly. Then she looked up at him with a mixture of gratitude, embarrassment, and leftover frustration. "Thank you. I'll apologize for being a bitch later," she half smiled, then started pulling herself up the ladder.

When she got up there, she did look through his drawers. The top one had socks and boxer briefs, and she grabbed a pair, then opened the second drawer and found a t-shirt. She peeled her clothes off and redressed. She was asleep on top of the covers before her head hit the pillow.

He could hear her going through his shit. He didn't think anything of it. It wasn't like he kept souvenirs of his trysts with other women. Ulquiorra knew what safe sex was. Urahara gave him all kinds of information about the World of the Living. He'd gotten tested for STIs. He made sure he always brushed his teeth. He was somewhat cordial to people he felt deserved it. He set up his workspace and turned on a morose instrumental piece before he got to work.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7: She Followed Her Instincts**

Hours passed before Ulquiorra peeked into the loft once to see Orihime's round ass on his bed. He really hated life. He did. He was an absolute glutton for punishment. What had he expected when he poked his head up there? As quietly as he could, he climbed the rest of the way up and frowned. She was wearing his clothes. Awesome.

He'd have to burn that shirt and the other stuff she had taken. There was no way he was going to drive himself crazy by keeping it. With a sigh, he flipped the blanket that was folded at the end of the bed over her and then sat down on the edge.

This was just like it was back in Hueco Mundo. He'd enter her room while she was asleep and stare at her or he'd watch her from the monitors. Not that she did much. Occasionally, she'd twitch or whimper. A couple of times, she had called out but it had been nothing major. She looked as beautiful as she did back then. Maybe her face was a bit more mature or her frown more prominent.

She wasn't the same girl he had kidnapped years ago. He reached over with a pale hand and brushed some hair off her face.

She hummed softly at the gentle touch at her brow and reached for it, finding fingers and threading her own through them, then pulling both her hand and his up under her chin and dozing off again.

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow at her, although she couldn't see it. He stayed there for a moment or two before he reached with his other hand to pry her fingers off his. This would be really awkward to explain once she woke up. It was better if he untangled himself as fast as he could.

She felt the tug at her fingers and her brow wrinkled as she groaned in protest. "Come back," she murmured. She opened her eyes and saw worried green ones peering back at her. She gave him a lazy half smile and closed her eyes again. "Really, Ulquiorra, I'm not going to bite. I'm sorry about snapping at you earlier."

"I deserved it," he stated. He gave a sigh. "Scoot over. You're in my spot."

She grinned and shimmied toward the opposite edge of the bed.

He lied. He slept in the middle of the bed but it was cute how she made room for him. Once he got himself situated, lying on his back, Ulquiorra tugged on her arm. "Get back over here, Woman."

She chuckled and rolled into his chest, letting one arm stay under her head and the other fall over his side. She inhaled. His scent was not what she had expected.

A mixture of eucalyptus and cedar, with maybe a hint of something like clean leather and sandalwood. It smelled subtle and luxurious and fresh. She needed more of it. She brought her nose closer and took an obvious, enthusiastic sniff.

"What are you doing?" He asked with a confused expression on his face. "I shouldn't stink. I took a shower."

"I wouldn't be doing this if you stunk. Is this some kind of soap or cologne? It's amazing." She didn't look up but kept taking deep breaths through her nose and holding them, trying to identify, analyze and memorize the fragrance.

"Uh, it's shampoo and conditioner and soap. I get it online." Ulquiorra was a little weirded out whenever someone mentioned how he smelled.

"Well whatever you do, keep getting it," she said, adding an unintelligible vocalization that sounded appreciative. "Seriously," she said in a tone that was perfectly serious as well.

The way she was burying her face into his body and clothes was making him aroused. He didn't need that right now. "You want me to get you some of it so you can carry it around in your bag? Whenever you miss me you could pull it out." He was teasing her.

She pulled her head up to look him in the eyes. "Yes, please!" she responded, nodding enthusiastically. "I…" She paused and then propped her head up on the elbow that had been under her head so she could look down at his face. "I would pay you back, of course," she said with a shy tone, her cheeks slightly flushed and brushing some of his long hair off of his neck. It looked uncomfortable. She absently wondered why he kept it so long, then paused. There was a mark on his neck. Was that—? "Is that a tattoo?" she asked, surprised.

He did not like people playing with his hair. It must have come from his days as an Arrancar because one side of his head, the hair moved freely; the other side, not so much. It bothered him when people even touched his head. Ulquiorra lifted his head pulled those long black locks from under his head and back then turned to look at her.

Why would she ask that-Oh… Ever since he knew Orihime in this lifetime, he had managed to completely cover himself from neck to wrists. "Yeah. I've got a lot of tattoos," he answered and then quickly covered the one on his neck with his hair again.

Oh. Oh. Oh was that how it was going to be? He was going to play coy? "How many?" she asked, excited to learn more.

"Around twenty. I get a couple every time I sell some paintings." Ulquiorra frowned at her. There was no way she was even going to see the ink he had. He might reveal one or two of them but that was it.

"So… Ulquiorra…" she started, looking at the sheet and tracing a figure eight into the surface as she stalled. "...are you going to tell me why you have the kanji for _Princess_ on your neck?"

"Why do you think?" he replied. Ulquiorra sat up on the bed and swept his hair to the other side of his neck. "Get an eyeful of it if you want."

She was excited. She had known people with tattoos before, obviously. Renji was covered with them. Ulquiorra had one when she was first taken. But this was the first time she was invited to take a close look. And she took full advantage. She rose up on her knees and brought her hands to his shoulders to steady herself as she peered at his neck. She hummed as she admired it. "I like it," she said noncommittally.

He had to refrain from rolling his eyes at her statement. He didn't get the tattoos he had to see if other people would like them. Each of the pieces of art on his body meant something to him. Ulquiorra shook his head and let his hair fall back into place. "So why do you think I have it?"

"Well, I have two ideas. One is very self-important and the other is a bit funnier. Which do you want to hear?"

"Both? The self-important reason first, though," Ulquiorra replied. Without warning, he dragged Orihime into his lap and gave her a smirk. "Then you can tell me the funny one."

Her face quickly colored and she swallowed hard. Her mouth was dry, and when she tried to speak, her breath caught in her throat. "Ahem, well, uh, the self-important reason is pretty self-explanatory, you got it to remind you of me?" she said.

He nodded. "The funny reason why you think I got it?"

"You think of yourself as the prettiest royalty?"

He scoffed and did it loudly. Ulquiorra glared at her but he didn't put any malice behind it. "I got it because of you. All the tattoos I got because of you… Except for three of them but that's due to the fact that I read this book and the passage kind of stuck with me."

"What book?" She was totally curious; she wanted to know everything.

"A stupid poetry book; had a cat, an owl, and a boat. Some guy was reciting poetry one night and it kind of stuck with me. I bought the book and read it," Ulquiorra said then licked his lips. He could feel his face and ears getting hot. He'd never told anyone so much about himself in either of the lives he had led.

"I know that poem, I think. _The Owl and the Pussycat_, right? I love that one," she beamed at his pink cheeks. He was being adorable. "Can I see them?"

"No. Maybe one of these days you might but the only time I show off my tattoos is if I'm getting naked," he stated.

She raised her eyebrows and tsked. "Oh is that so? And here I thought I was seducing you?"

He mimicked her expression. "I'll show you the ones that don't require me to take my clothes off." Ulquiorra pushed the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows and held his arms out. On his right arm, there was a small heart shape on his hand between his thumb and index finger. The other tattoo on that side was the blacked out shape of the hilt of Murcielago. Then he had an origami paper boat colored with pea-green ink near his elbow.

The other arm had a cross on the side of his hand, the bat tattoo near his wrist and then some wicked looking script on his forearm. It spelled out, "_Luz de la Luna_" .

Her eye traced the shapes and letters marking his skin. Each of these seemed to hold great significance to him. "These are really quite beautiful, Ulquiorra," she said softly as she admired them. Then she looked up to his face. It was a warm, human face with Ulquiorra's features. It was a face that smelled good, a face that was a nice neighbor. A face that professed to have spent the past four years being in love with her. She got lost in that thought for a moment, then, as she was inclined to do, she followed her instincts.

She kissed _him_.

Ulquiorra froze for a second before he realized what the hell was going on. She was kissing him. She was voluntarily kissing him. It wasn't all on his end. Within the next second, he was kissing her back, pulling her body tight against his. He ran his hands up and down her back and over her ass, touching what he could. His fingers even found their way under the shirt she was wearing.

She knew she was asking for trouble. She didn't care. She was going to ask for seconds and thirds. She had never in her life felt this way before, so electrified by a kiss or a caress; she was not at all interested in stopping anytime soon.

She pressed into his mouth with more intensity and whimpered through her nose as he allowed her to wrap her arms around his neck. She stopped kissing him for just a split second, just long enough to whisper his name; to let him know that she knew who he was, before diving back into it.

Damn this woman. He could feel himself start to get hard. She was too good at what she was doing and she was letting him touch her. Since he was feeling bold and getting his way, he slowly let his hands slip under the band of the pair of boxer-briefs she had borrowed from him. Her skin felt smooth under his fingertips. She didn't seem to mind the intrusion.

His interpretation was correct. She hummed into his mouth as he touched her, and she opened her lips wide enough to gasp into his mouth when he gave an experimental squeeze.

He would have had the notion to chuckle at that had he had any blood left in his damn brain. It all seemed to pool in his lap. He liked how she sounded. He liked how she opened for him. Ulquiorra used his other hand to push down the borrowed clothing she had on and then squeezed her ass again, this time with both hands.

She groaned. God, she wanted him. She was finding it increasingly difficult to take a full breath. She stole his instead as she used her tongue to trace the shape of his upper lip and gave her hips an experimental roll toward his.

Oh. _Oh._ This was pleasurable.

Ulquiorra growled, his baritone voice rumbled through his chest. All he wanted to do was take her clothes off and have at her body. He knew that was unrealistic and probably could be put in the really bad fucking idea column. Instead, he fell back onto the bed, taking her with him, pushing his hips up and against her. Two could play at this game.

She cried out when he thrusted against her. Yeah, there were several layers of clothing between them, but she could literally feel his desire, and as much as it scared her, she wanted to see where this could go. She pushed his hair to the side again and kissed the princess tattoo on his neck.

A groan left him this time. This woman seemed to know how to slam all of the buttons he had down. He was turned on. He wanted this. "Fuck, Woman. Fuck, do that again." Ulquiorra bit his lip to keep from saying anything else.

She smiled and a small laugh came out close to his ear before she brought her mouth back down to his neck, gently kissing the tattoo, then flicking her tongue out to taste it. His skin was so warm and soft as it stretched over the cords on his neck. She wanted to feel more of that. She used her free hand to stroke the other side of his neck as she lavished attention onto the mark in her honor.

Ulquiorra rolled his hips against her again and again. This felt way too good to stop. He didn't want to stop. His hands kept moving lower, over the curve of her ass. His judgment was being clouded by lust, he let a hand brush the skin between her legs.

Her mouth seemed attached to his neck now, sucking and kissing at the skin. He had let no woman touch him like she was touching him. Ulquiorra always made sure to let the women know that what they did was just fucking and they wouldn't be kissing. They wouldn't be cuddling. With Orihime, this felt completely different. He was on a different plane of bliss with her. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to hold her. He wanted to do much more than just fuck her.

She kissed her way back to his mouth and weaseled her tongue into his mouth, only to coax his into hers so she could suck on it. Her hips started to find a rhythm with his, and she felt heat rising between her legs. Her breathing became labored as they continued but she had no intention of taking a break. Her hands found their way into his hair as she pulled his head, keeping it in contact with her as she moved. She did not want to break this touch. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was aware that to do so would be to invite doubt or regret from at least one of them, if not both.

His brain seemed to melt as they found each other's lips again. She was touching him and Ulquiorra moaned at the slight pull in his hair. That wasn't supposed to feel good. Pain wasn't supposed to heighten this kind of pleasure. He lifted one hand from where they were touching her and grabbed one of her tits. His t-shirt did nothing but accentuate how round and perky and big they were.

How this woman could think poorly of herself was beyond his level of thinking. To him, she was perfect.

She mewled when he pawed at her breast, leaning into his touch and breaking contact with his mouth, whimpering his name again. She sighed again and looked into his eyes. They were open. She didn't look away, as they continued to touch and move on each other, her self-consciousness nowhere to be found. Her breathing was hitched and she panted on his face, her warm breath covering him in waves.

"Orihime," he whispered. His voice was full of longing, desire, and hunger. Hearing her say his name didn't help things any. Had he been paying attention to his own body instead of everything else, he might have been able to stop what they were doing and cool down. He might have been able to hold back but he was so wrapped up in her, that Ulquiorra did not recognize he was approaching an orgasm. The tension in his muscles broke, cracking like a piece of fragile ice that someone stepped on. His body arched up against her and euphoria spread through his body.

"FUCK," he growled. He had come in his sweatpants. He had to stop her from moving her hips because his cock kept twitching and each pulse overstimulated him more. Ulquiorra carefully pushed her off of him and to the side. Sitting back up, he turned away from her.

Orihime didn't know what happened. Had she hurt him? Had he suddenly regretted everything? What suddenly changed? The heat in her body suddenly felt ice cold as her mind flooded with rejection.

"Ulquiorra… Did I do something wrong?" she asked in a tiny voice.

"No. I did," he responded. Fuck. This was fucking horrible. That had never happened to him before. He could exercise great control and here he was losing it around her of all people.

She was beginning to panic. He did something wrong, he said. He wished he hadn't done this with her. He probably thought she was the worst. A slut. A tease. Hadn't she always told him she wanted to be friends, and then she goes and pulls a stunt like this? What had she been thinking? Why did she accept his offer to sleep here? She was the worst! She sat up on the opposite side of the bed and grasped her knees painfully, shame flowing through her veins like a coarse, sandy sledge. "I'm sorry," she managed to squeak out before her lower lip starting wobbling too much to be able to speak.

He huffed a heavy sigh. Why should she be sorry? "I-I came. I'm the one who should be sorry. I should apologize to you," Ulquiorra stammered. Why the fuck did he feel so embarrassed? Was it because he had a reputation to keep in place? No. It was because this was Orihime.

Orihime was confused. She still felt terrible about being the cause of his current unhappy condition, but… Did he just say he came? Isn't that a good thing? She took a deep breath to calm herself. Maybe there was something about this situation that she didn't understand. "Isn't that the point? I mean, don't you want to?" She could slap herself for her inability to be articulate at the moment, but she figured she got the point across.

Ulquiorra stood up and walked around the bed and over to his dresser. He kept his back to her as he peeled off the sweatpants. He cleaned himself up with them before tossing them into the empty basket. He opened the top drawer and grabbed a pair of boxer-briefs. He put them on and then turned to face her. "I wanted to but-I kind of pride myself on making my partners achieve an orgasm before me."

She was barely listening. She had watched unblinkingly as he stripped from the waist down, getting a perfect eyeful of his ass and legs. They were impressive. He could easily be an underwear model. Then he when he turned around with the boxer-briefs on she was treated to the sight of his still swollen member clearly outlined through the dark gray fabric. Her mouth was too dry to speak. She sat there with wide eyes, staring, her mouth slightly agape. She could not look away.

He took her expression the wrong way. "I know. It's ridiculous. I'm sorry. I was too wrapped up in everything to pay attention to what was going on."

Her body was feeling weak but his apology kind of snapped her out of her ogling hypnosis. She wiped the corner of her mouth and blinked hard a few times, raising her eyebrows. She cleared her throat. "Um, ahem, well… Um, ridiculous isn't the word I'd chose," her breath rushed out of her in one quick huff as he turned slightly, treating her to a new perspective of his junk. She whimpered slightly and sucked in a rushed breath, mentally forcing herself to drag her eyes away from the package. It was too obvious. She was going to get caught.

"What?" Ulquiorra glanced at her and then followed her line of sight to where she was looking. She was looking at him. She was staring at him. "Woman, tell me you're free tonight."

"I'm free tonight," she answered robotically. "I'm going out to Aquamarine but you should come…" she sounded like she was not quite living in reality.

A really perverted thought crossed his mind. He had to bite his lip to keep from saying it. He moved to over where she was sitting and placed a knee on the bed on the outside of one of her thighs. "I already did, but I think I can again," he said, tilting her face up to look at him. Once again, he found himself in her lap, kissing her but it wasn't hot and heavy. He was just pecking her lips with his, trailing kisses down her chin and jawline.

She trailed her fingers up the outside of his arms, ghosting the tips against his warm shirt, up to his hair again. She gently combed her fingers through it as she made tiny little sounds in response to what he was doing with his lips. Then, she felt something foreign in his hair.

"Ulquiorra, you have something in your hair," she murmured, carefully grasping the mass and tugging only slightly so he would be able to locate it on his own, then brought her hands down to his chest.

He sighed and broke the contact that he had with her skin. "Where?" Ulquiorra asked bringing his long hair over his shoulder. He saw it. Emerald green paint was streaked through strands of black hair.

"There's a big chunk of it near the base of your neck," she informed him reluctantly.

"I should put it up when I paint. Damn it," he grumbled as he ran a hand where she said. Sure enough… he could feel the crusty surface of the paint that had dried there. The tube of green paint had practically exploded over his hands. He remembered wiping his hands off but must have missed some when he had brushed the mess out of his face. "I'm going to have to take another shower."

"Yeah, but I'm thinking you might have to get a haircut. I'm worried that's not coming out," she paused, considering him with a shorter style. She'd be able to see that tattoo on his neck more easily. "You would probably look pretty hot with shorter hair, just sayin'," she said with a shy smile.

He looked at her with a narrowed gaze, his eyelids covering half of his eyes. "Whatever. I'll get it out," he said. Ulquiorra kissed her again before he got off her lap. "I might show up tonight."

She smirked at him. "Are you kicking me out?"

"No, but don't you have to get ready for your outing? You could stay here with me."

"What time is it?" she asked lazily, stretching her arms out to either side.

Ulquiorra turned his head and looked at his alarm clock that sat on the bedside table. "It's almost seven."

"Oh crap, I gotta go," she said, bouncing up to her feet. She looked around for her clothes. "If you want to get in the shower right away I can let myself out. Um…." she paused and looked at him with a cute kind of squinty smile, "You still owe me some coffee, by the way. I expect some next time." She felt kind of presumptuous saying it, but she wanted him to know that she didn't expect this to be a one-time thing.

A smile came to his face, one where only half of his mouth actually moved. "I'm gonna give you some the next time I see you," he replied almost automatically. "I'm not rude, Woman. I will see you to the door."

She laughed nervously, "Um, I have to change first…" She picked up her things and started down the ladder, intending to go to the bathroom. "Although I would love to keep these, this isn't exactly the kind of 'walk of shame' ensemble a person like me can be seen in."

"Take them with you," he said watching her. Ulquiorra waited until she got to the bottom before he descended. He jumped a few feet from the floor, landing beside her. "Bathroom is through there." He pointed to the only other door in the room.

His boyish little display did not escape her notice, and she grinned at him as though he was the most precious little nugget she had ever seen. She didn't think before grabbing his hand, standing up on her tiptoes, and kissing his cheek. Then she turned and bounced over to the bathroom, saying, "I may keep the shirt but I don't need the briefs," then shut the door behind her.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8: Nice To Meet You Again**

Orihime didn't say a word to Uryu of course. Uryu merely raised an eyebrow at her when she showed up at home wearing a men's t-shirt over her skirt. It was kinda cute, although a somewhat sloppy choice for her. She hopped in the shower right away and as usual, he gave her no privacy, walking right in while she was naked, ignoring her after an appreciative once-over before he began preening in the mirror.

"Uryu, honey, you gotta stop doing this," she complained from under the water as she scrubbed her scalp.

"Why, what's the big deal? I've seen you naked a million times," he retorted in a bored voice.

"Well, yeah, but you have Markus now. What if he gets jealous?"

Uryu laughed. "Have you forgotten everything? One: Gay. Two: Gay. Three: Designers. We dress and undress women all day."

Orihime huffed. "Okay, fine, but did it ever occur to you that_ I _might have someone who could get jealous over me?"

Uryu laughed again. "Ok, Babe, you let me know when that happens and I'll draw up a bathroom schedule, mmkay?" He laughed again, totally dismissing the idea.

Orihime almost contradicted him, but then she remembered the time. Another day, perhaps.

She got out of the shower a moment later, a bit sad that she no longer smelled like eucalyptus and cedar. She went to her room to find Uryu already in her closet. "What the hell?" she asked him.

"Markus wants you representing the brand tonight. I've promised to make sure you do," he answered.

"I'm perfectly capable of 'representing the brand' on my own, despite what you two think," she complained as she toweled off her hair. Despite being offended, him choosing her outfit would save her some time, so she stopped bothering him.

He ended up coming out of her closet with only a pair of black stiletto gladiator boots.

"What the fuck, Quin, I'm not a stripper, I'm going to need more than those," she bitched.

"Markus sent something for you to wear, it's in my room. No underwear," he warned.

She rolled her eyes and went to her dresser to fish out a modesty triangle she had made for herself that she wore when she modeled sheer clothing; she didn't trust Uryu any farther than she could throw him.

She used eyelash glue to keep it in place. "Are you going to bring it in here or do you expect me to walk around butt naked? Because if it's the latter you're going to be disappointed!"

She heard him groan and then walk into her room, the rustle of fabric announcing his arrival. "Here. I'm going to have to sew you in at the shoulder," he said, handing her the garment. It was a sheer gold one-shoulder dress with one long sleeve and a ruched skirt that only hung inches below her crotch. She was glad she made that modesty triangle. The dress was covered with gold beads and sequins, strategically concentrated around the hem and the nipples, and the Orihime from days of yore - the young one who still lived inside her head - saw this, cringed. Hopefully, the color of her nipples wouldn't stand out too much -they were pretty pale to begin with- because this dress was not going to do much to provide her with any modesty.

"Do your hair pretty-down. Kohl your eyes. Nude lips," Uryu demanded.

Orihime rolled her eyes and sighed, making her way to the bathroom. When she came out twenty minutes later, Uryu nodded his approval. "You're getting good at this, Bitch," he said with a small smile.

"I know. Let's go."

Should he? Shouldn't he? That was a question he asked himself a lot these days; especially when it concerned anything dealing with the Woman. Their earlier encounter had done nothing but amped the cravings he had for her. After so many years there was only so much a person could take before they were driven insane. He was on the brink of insanity. It was worse since he had met her.

After attempting to paint again, he said fuck it and took another shower, scrubbing his hair, trying to get the paint out of it. The redhead had been right. It wasn't coming out. After drying off and combing through the mess he sighed.

He'd been brought into this world with long hair and he'd never gotten it trimmed or cut. Four years had passed and it was longer. It almost hung to his waist. He'd make an appointment later this week at the place that one of the other artists had mentioned a while back.

Orihime hadn't told him what time to show up so by the time his damn hair was done drying and he did a part on the right side of his head letting his hair flip to that side, hours had passed since Orihime had left. He knew where Aquamarine was located. It would not take him long to get there.

Ulquiorra didn't bother texting the redhead either. He wanted the element of surprise on his side, just in case she had no expectations of him showing his face.

Orihime and Uryu had arrived at the club at about 10:30 and took their time making the rounds and being seen before they got to the booth where Markus' entourage sat. Uryu quickly made his way over to Markus and after squeezing his ass had a seat and poured himself a glass of champers. Markus looked to Orihime with a cold expression, looking her up and down and finally indicating his approval by raising his glass to her and nodding once.

She broke her resting bitch face only a moment to smile at him using her eyes only, then someone put a drink in her hand. Markus shouted to her, "Hey honey, loosen up a little bit but nothing carbonated. I wanna see how the dress moves out there but not if you're all bloated and nasty," he said.

Orihime pursed her lips for a second and nodded. She looked down at the drink she was given: vodka on the rocks with four wedges of lemon. "Really? Who ordered me the 'Skinny Bitch'?" she whined before taking a sip. It wasn't really the drink that she minded, it was the sentiment behind it.

She finished that drink and then one more before she made her way to the dance floor, led by Markus himself. He was a tall, tan blond with chiseled cheekbones and a tightly trimmed haircut with a slightly receding hairline. He was impeccably groomed and in excellent shape.

Orihime followed his lead and started dancing, trying her best to maximize the effect of the dress on her body; twisting her middle, running her hands through her hair, swaying her hips, rolling her shoulders; anything to accentuate her lines and get the fabric to shine and the beading to sparkle.

Markus was loving it. She wasn't a typical model. She was short. She had huge boobs for her frame. But she looked completely fuckable in his clothes and that's what he wanted. He wanted every woman in that club to wish she was Orihime. He wanted every man in that club to either wish the same thing or want to fuck her. It was perfect. In his excitement, Markus grabbed her waist with both hands and started to control her sway, bringing his mouth down to her ear and telling her how perfect his design was.

She didn't notice that Ulquiorra had arrived.

He bypassed the line. All he had to say was, "C. Murcielago." Places were constantly trying to get his business.

Once Ulquiorra was inside he scanned the bodies milling about. He never liked going out. It was merely an activity to do to find a willing body to fuck. He went to the bar and got himself a drink. He turned to face the dance floor and quickly downed what he ordered.

Coppery hair flashed along with the body it was attached to. She was dancing and moving. It would have been fine except an envious feeling crept up his brain, injecting tendrils of green jealousy there. Orihime was with a blond man and that man was whispering in her ear. He was touching her.

After setting the glass down on the bar, Ulquiorra walked to the edge of the dance floor, hoping she would see him.

Markus was starting to lose interest in talking to Orihime, and told her to keep going so he could watch from a distance before pushing her away and returning to his booth. He thought he was discreet when he turned to Uryu and shoved his tongue down the other man's throat. Luckily it was after midnight and no one present was either sober enough or bothered enough to care.

Orihime danced. Someone brought her another drink and she stilled her movements somewhat to sip on it, using the opportunity to scan the room. Ulquiorra had said he might be coming after all. She scanned. Her eyes narrowed slightly when she found him, watching him make his way toward her.

The crowd didn't part for him. He had to navigate around the bodies that stood between him and her. Ulquiorra reached her and gazed down at her. "Who was the asshole?"

"Which asshole? There's a lot of them here," she quipped, smiling at him.

"The one touching you when I got here. Who the fuck is he?" He didn't mean to sound angry or jealous but it bled through his tone. Ulquiorra grabbed her by the hips and pulled her closer to him.

Her cheeks warmed up at the tone of his voice. Was he jealous? Why did that idea turn her on so much? She put her arms up to rest on either side of his neck and brought her face closer to his so he would be able to hear over the music. "That was Markus, I'm wearing his dress."

Green eyes narrowed. Ulquiorra had to resist from throwing a sneer in the direction the man had gone. He didn't know much about the modeling world or the fashion world. Mostly what he had overheard from conversations was that most models were whores, the photographers were creeps and the designers were gay. It didn't look like this Markus was gay with the way he had moved with the woman who was now in his arms. "I don't care what you're wearing of his," he stated. "You want brand loyalty or not?"

She didn't care if anyone saw, He was C. Murcielago, after all. Being seen with him was good for the brand. With her stilettos, she didn't have as far to reach as she craned her neck up and captured his lips for a moment. "How about now?" She asked with a purring voice. The vodka had made her somewhat confident.

"Hnngh," he said after she kissed him. Ulquiorra took a moment to run his hands up and down the sides of her torso. "I'm becoming convinced. Still not entirely sold on it. Why was he dancing with you like that? Is he interested in you?"

She smiled at his naïveté. "He's interested in people seeing his line in action. I could be anybody."

"Self-centered twit," Ulquiorra muttered about the other man. "Why can't you wear your own fashions? Aren't you a designer too?"

"It's not that I can't wear my own, it's just not 'my time' yet. Markus' star is rising. I'm gaining traction as a fashion person, but I have some dues to pay before I can start calling myself a designer. By the way, I bet if you look over at Markus and Uryu right now, Uryu is probably pouting because Markus is spanking himself seeing you talk to me. He wants to meet you so badly."

"What for? Just so I can be a name he can casually drop?" Ulquiorra scoffed but he did turn his head, scowling. Sure enough, a blond headed asshole was staring straight at them. The dark haired man decided to show this designer what was his. He turned Orihime just so and kissed her deeply.

Orihime whined and kissed him back. She was wishing very badly that she was not sewn into her dress, or she would have suggested leaving and going back to his place then and there. His whole macho, possessive schtick was working for her at the moment.

They were interrupted a moment later by a tall man dressed all in black with a headset on. He tapped Ulquiorra on the shoulder.

Ulquiorra broke away from Orihime gave the person who interrupted them a hard stare. "What?" he snapped.

The man spoke with a strong lisp. "Compliments of Markus. He'd like to extend an invitation to join him with Ms. Inoue when you're done here," the man said with a bored expression, offering Ulquiorra another of the same drink he had ordered earlier and a fresh drink for Orihime.

Glancing at Orihime who gave him a small nod, Ulquiorra took the glasses and then turned back to the woman handing her the one with lemon in it. "I'm only doing this for you, you understand that, correct?"

She gave him an apologetic nod, then cupped her hand toward his ear so he would lean down toward her. When he did, she said, "Yes, but it's not just for my benefit. I can't get out of this dress unless someone sews me out of it," she giggled and pulled back to see his reaction, reaching for his free hand.

"And here I had hopes of ripping it off you," he commented as he started walking across the dance floor. It didn't take but a few moments before they were standing at that booth. Ulquiorra pointedly did not look at the Quincy male.

Orihime watched him though, waiting for a reaction. If she was going to be with Ulquiorra, she was going to have to deal with this sooner or later. No time like the present, she thought. "Thanks for the drinks, Markus. This is…," she paused, almost introducing him as Ulquiorra, then tugged on his hand for him to fill in the blank. She only ever called him by his real name. She didn't know what he went by socially.

"C. Murcielago," he said smoothly with a passive face. His green eyes never left Markus' face but Ulquiorra did say, "Nice to see you again, Ishida."

That voice was the same, Uryu thought. He was drunk. That must be it. Still, he rubbed his eyes. He could not believe that standing in front of him was the lord of fucking darkness holding the hand of princess fucking Orihime, and that they had been all but fucking on the dancefloor but moments ago. "What the fuck, bitch?" He yelled at Orihime.

The glass he was holding was slammed onto the table and finally, Ulquiorra's eyes shifted in the Quincy's direction. "She has a name. It is not any derogatory term," Ulquiorra growled. He knew it was the alcohol he had ingested that was causing him to act like this. He was being a jealous fucking asshole. He did not want anyone to disrespect Orihime. He wouldn't allow it.

She set her drink down calmly and rubbed his arm with her newly freed hand in an effort to soothe him. "Don't worry Ul… Ulq." She hoped that she wasn't upsetting any kind of balance by saying that. "That's just what we call each other sometimes, right Quin bitch?"

Uryu nodded cautiously. While Orihime's spiritual pressure had faded significantly since their separation from Ichigo, his own had nothing to do with the shinigami. He tried to detect anything from the person before him but found nothing. He was absolutely human. "Right, Hime. Right," he muttered a distracted response.

"If your friend will behave himself, I think my companion and I will sit," Ulquiorra said to the blond. He raised an eyebrow before sitting on the other side of the booth, pulling Orihime into his lap. "What do you want... Markus, is it?"

Markus nodded and leaned over on his elbows, batting his eyes at Ulquiorra. "Indeed. And what can we call you, Mr. Murcielago?" Markus simpered. He really wanted to ingratiate himself toward the artist.

"You may call me what you just did without the mister in front of it," came the reply. Ulquiorra wasn't interested in anyone but the woman. She was his focus, everything else around him was annoying gnats flying about him. "Are you attached to this dress by the way? It is your design, isn't it?"

"It is! What do you think of it?" Markus asked, overjoyed that the artist was recognizing his work. "It's something from my new line. I had it tailored especially for Booboo Bear, right sweetie?" he said, making an unattractive cutesy face at Orihime. "Nobody can wear it like her. Her body is so bangin', right?"

"I think it's going to look fine on my bedroom floor when I rip it off of her."

Orihime blushed but didn't correct him.

Uryu stood up and swayed a moment before regaining his balance. "I think not! Ella no te follaría, Espada!' he said, not exactly pronouncing each sound perfectly, slurring over some of it.

Ulquiorra snorted and shook his head. It must have been his residual memory as an Espada that he knew what the Quincy had said. "Eso es asunto de ella únicamente," he replied and then patted Orihime on the thigh. "Time to go, Woman."

"Wait!" Uryu lurched out of the booth. "I have to get her out of this dress. There are no fasteners. I'll have her back in a couple minutes," Uryu yelped, grabbing Orihime by the arm not wrapped around Ulquiorra's and pulling her to the bathroom.

Once in the room, the Quincy hissed to her, "What the fuck? Is that actually Ulquiorra?" His eyes were wide as saucers as he asked, already pulling out his seam ripper and starting on the shoulder of the dress.

"Well, yes and no. It's Ulquiorra's soul, kind of. He told me he "found his heart" and was spared from hell. He woke up two years later in the body of an overdose victim. He's gone to see Urahara but you know how that guy is. He's been painting all these years."

Uryu shook his head. "That's ridiculous. He was a motherfucking Espada! A child of Aizen! He kidnapped you and cut my hand off!"

Orihime sighed. "He also saved us from berserker Ichigo but no one ever seems to remember that part of the story. Regardless, he's just a human now."

"Be that as it may, Hime," he was starting to sound like the know-it-all straight-laced Quincy he had been in high school again. "You can't be serious about this guy? What are you going to do? Fall in love with him?"

Orihime looked at him without saying anything. She didn't have to. It was written all over her face.

"Oh my god, really? Really ? Already? You just met him like two or three months ago!"

"Well, that's just not true, Uryu. I met him six years ago."

Uryu's eyebrows shot up. If he wasn't wearing contacts he would be pushing his glasses up his nose. As it was, he brought a finger to rest between his eyes. "You had feelings for him then?!"

"Yes, and you all knew it. I was devastated when he died. You all just ignored it." She scoffed, getting impatient and starting to wiggle out of the dress herself. "I slept at his house today. Things happened. There is a good chance things will continue to happen. You're going to have to learn to be okay with that. And not that you've been sleeping at home much these days, but no more sleeping in my bed!"

He scoffed. "Whatever. You're a big girl, I can't tell you what to do." He pulled off his white button up shirt and gave it to her to wear. She didn't have anything else. She put it on and rolled the sleeves up to her elbows. Uryu stood back and shook his head in disapproval. "You look like a skank in that. Hold on," he took a black satin ribbon out of his bag and wrapped it around her waist, tying it in a bow over her hip. "There, that's passable. At least it goes with the shoes. You should blouse out the top a little more and open one more button," she did as she was told and looked back up at him. "That's better," he finally said.

She sighed. "Thanks for understanding, Quin," she said over her shoulder as she exited the bathroom, Uryu following topless behind her.

Ulquiorra had been staring at Markus while the other man stared back. Finally, he sighed. The silence was awkward. "The dress looked great on her and really brings out the best features of her body."

"I'm glad you agree. I was thinking, the two of you have great chemistry. I wonder if you wouldn't mind doing some test shots with her for my winter line? Something to think about?" Markus asked in a sweet, uplilting manner.

"I don't model. I know nothing about it," Ulquiorra said and then looked around to see if Orihime was done. "You wouldn't want me to model anyway."

"And why is that? You are exquisite," Markus fawned.

Ulquiorra tilted his head and looked at the blond. "I was under the impression that most designers don't like models with tattoos. Thanks for the compliment but I'm not interested in modeling."

"Well, it's either you or some other model. Maybe Booboo will help change your mind. Anyway, I don't mind the tattoos, depending on what they are. Wanna show me?" Markus was undeterred by Ulquiorra's negative response.

"Not particularly-What do you mean some other model?" Ulquiorra scowled at the man. Was this so-called designer saying that he would pair Orihime up with another male? That idea made him curl his fist.

"That's exactly what I mean, Murcielago. She shines on her own but put her with someone and she really glows, don't you think?" Markus said, his eyes trailing off to watch Uryu and Orihime approach, flashing his brows appreciatively at his topless boyfriend.

Ulquiorra's mouth went dry, looking at Orihime approaching the booth. Her legs were still bare but she looked adorable in the shirt/belt thing she wore. He stood and nodded at Markus. "If you'll excuse me, I have a prior commitment to keep."

Orihime approached Ulquiorra and looked between him and Markus. "What are you two talking about?" she asked with a smile, taking a sip from the drink she left on the table.

"Oh, I was just talking to your boyfriend about modeling alongside you for my winter line," Markus responded, swirling his finger around the rim of his champagne glass. "He's being a bit resistant. As the face of Markus, I wonder if you can't somehow, I dunno,_convince _him?"

The person mentioned shook his head. "I will consider your proposal," Ulquiorra said before grabbing Orihime's hand.

Orihime smiled at Ulquiorra and followed him as he moved through the crowd of people toward the exit. "We're leaving already? It seems like you just got here."

"I want to take you somewhere. I do owe you coffee remember? Or we can go back to my place… Your place?" Ulquiorra smirked at her.

"Uryu might come back, but if you're interested, you're more than welcome," she said. "It didn't take too much to convince him that despite all his posturing he can't say shit about you to me," she tacked on.

He shrugged. "I don't care if he comes back and catches me fucking you in the middle of your apartment," Ulquiorra muttered. He looked at the redhead. "I'm a human, what threat am I to any of you?"

"Well the only one I can see you being a threat to is me," she said with a giggle. When she looked at him afterward, tucking some hair behind her ear, he could see a flash of worry in her eyes.

He didn't understand. How could he be a threat to her? "Besides your virginity, how am I a threat?" he asked.

She was still a little buzzed and her inhibitions were dampened. "You have my heart, Ulquiorra," she said, rather loudly, into the night air. "You can do anything you want with it. Including crush it," she said, turning to offer him a lopsided smile. She was an idiot. She knew it. It is what it is, she thought, shrugging her shoulders as she turned around to continue walking.

Ulquiorra stopped walking and tugged on her hand to bring her to a halt. When Orihime peered back at him, he pulled her closer. "Why would I crush your heart? It's the same though. You have my heart. You could do the same thing to mine."

She hummed and nodded. He was right, she supposed. She looked to the side for a moment, thinking, then looked up at him with her lips quirked up and said, "Can you even believe this is real? I mean, look at us. It's us. You are who you are, I am who I am. Think of us six years ago. That's still _us._ It's crazy! Don't you think?" she asked, grinning in wonder.

The _us_ she was talking about was a story of a monster who had taken the princess and spirited her away to a far off castle in a distant land. The _us_ she was talking about cried constantly and was sad about being locked in a room. The _us_ she was talking about included the monster being slain by a better killing machine. The _us_ she was talking about deserved someone better than him. Ulquiorra shook his head. "Come, woman. I'll escort you home."

She was confused. What happened? Why did the mood shift? The grin melted off of her face. "Is something wrong?" she asked quietly.

"Nothing is wrong," Ulquiorra replied. Sure, he could and would talk women into having sex and fucking him. None of them knew him though. None of them could get a grasp on what he had been and his past. None of those women had witnessed the brutality he had dealt to the intruders of Hueco Mundo. They were nameless fish in the sea but he had dreamt that each of them had been Inoue Orihime.

Now that he had her in his hands, Ulquiorra couldn't do it. He wanted her so much but she knew his past. How could she be okay becoming close to a monster; a displaced soul? "You're drunk, I wouldn't want to take advantage of you." It was a lie.

"I am not drunk," she denied flatly. She knew that it wasn't the reason he was suddenly distant though. There was something he wasn't telling her. This was nothing new. They Ulquiorra she had known as a hollow was not exactly forthcoming either. Still, she could feel that something had changed. Something was wrong.

"I said something I shouldn't have, didn't I?"

He shook his head. The only thing that echoed in his head were the words, six years ago . They had a history. They had a past together. He had allowed horrible things to happen to her. Yammy's blow. His own kidnapping of her. Being subjected as a sideshow to reverse the damage done to Grimmjow's arm. Loly and Menoly's attacking the woman twice. "No, I've been up for a while. I'm tired. I want to see you home and then go to my own apartment."

She gave him a small smile and nodded, looking forward and appearing to accept his excuse. It was a lie. She knew this was all wrong. There was nothing she could do, though. It fucking figured, she thought. Every man she ever cared for always turned around to shit on her anyway. That's all she was good for when it came to romance. She should have just stuck to gays. At least they never showed her the promise of happiness only to yank it away. "You know what? There's a taxi stand right here. I could just take a cab the rest of the way and then you can get to bed. Thanks for everything today. It meant a lot to me," she said. She wasn't lying. It had meant a lot. She squeezed his hand and let go, walking toward a cab, its automatic doors opening already.

"Orihime!" He called out. "I'll text you later."

She turned her head, gathered her courage, and grinned at him. "I'll be waiting," she said, then ducked into the cab. It may as well have been raining.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9: Showing Skin**

Ulquiorra waited three days before he made the appointment with a stylist. He explained to the woman what he wanted and how he liked his hair to be and that the cut should take minimal effort to maintain. Then he explained about why he was getting his hair chopped off. The paint had not come out. It would only take extreme patience or scissors to get the dried blob out of his hair.

When it was all said and done, Ulquiorra ended up with a slight variation of a long fringe haircut with the sides and back being tapered from a medium length to a short fade. The hair on top of his head was significantly longer. The stylist had taken clippers to the paint covered hair and he shivered when they touched his neck. He could see inches just falling to the floor. When the woman was done, she asked if Ulquiorra wanted it styled.

"It goes to the right," he replied.

"About here?" she had asked, drawing a line down the top of his head.

"Here." He put his finger almost to the side of his head.

Throughout the entire exchange, the woman flirted with him but Ulquiorra remained impassive. The entire exchange with Orihime had him doubting himself. What the hell had those women seen in him? What did she see in him?

He stood at the counter waiting for the stylist to come back with his money when they were done. She came up to him and handed him a piece of paper. Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow at it and pocketed his change. "What is this?"

"It's my phone number," she said with a cheeky smile then walked away.

Ulquiorra crumpled the number in his fist and threw it away the first chance that he got. He was done. He was tired of chasing after versions of the redhead when he had the real thing. Well, he could have the real thing. He arrived back at his apartment and went up to his bedroom. He paced the carpeted floor for a moment.

It was silly. He had told her how he felt about her. He had fallen in love with her. He had fought Kurosaki trying to protect what he had claimed. Ulquiorra wanted Orihime to return those feelings. He wanted her to feel like he did. He wanted them to both feel like that.

He took off his t-shirt and then posed in front of the full length mirror he had bought a while ago. It was now or never. He took the pic and sent it to her without any other message.

* * *

Three days had passed with no contact. It was over, she was sure of it. Just like he warned her, he had wormed his way into her heart and then crushed it. She had it coming. She couldn't blame him. She was just stupid.

She had known that night after leaving the club that the spell had been broken. She decided to bury herself in her work. It was easier to ignore a broken heart if she stayed busy.

So busy she had been, in fact, that on that third day when she got his text, she didn't blink an eye. She had been sitting in a chair doing hair tests for Markus and sketching in her design notebook when her phone chimed. She picked it up and brought up the message without even looking at it at first. It wasn't until the hairstylist said, "Whoa - who's the fuckboy?" that she looked.

There he was. She absently noted that his hair was different. She actively noticed that he was topless. Oh my god he wasn't kidding about the tattoos. She saved the picture to her photo library and zoomed in. Holy hot abs, Batman. She bit her lip and appreciated his form for a moment first. She had seen his bare ass and legs but she had never seen him topless as a human. He was a lot more… meaty. In a good way.

She zoomed to the tattoos. She started with the familiar; the ones on his neck and forearms. Then she followed the forearm to her right up to a feather and a pair of antlers near his shoulder, which looked nice but held no significance to her. She scanned across his chest and smirked, he had recreated his Espada number tattoo and his hollow hole, below which was an anatomical heart with some kind of green facets encrusting the bottom, the word _Espada_ written underneath in it in a script with a five-sided star on each side. Under his clavicle to her left was his last name, and on the attached shoulder was a representation of _The Owl and The Pussycat_. It was kind of romantic, she thought with a small smile. She looked close. It appeared that the owl and the pussycat were dancing under the light of the moon of Hueco Mundo. The same tattoos she had seen on the attached forearm remained. She scanned across his belly. Oh. Was that? Yes, it was; her hairpin on his ribs. It was larger than life, but very obviously hers. On the opposite side, on his waist, appeared to be a large cherry blossom. It was hard to make out because of the camera angle, but it looked pretty and well done. Finally, her eyes rested at his pubic area. His jeans were slung dangerously low, and despite herself she felt warmth between her legs. She noticed there were tattoos there as well.

She zoomed into that area, feeling a bit like a pervert. On her left, a golden paper airplane was tattooed on his lower belly. To the center, a chess piece. The Queen. Interesting. Last, just to the inside of what would be his left hipbone, were roman numerals. She took a minute translating them into arabic numerals in her mind. IX - III, they read. 9 - 3. Her birthday.

Whoa.

Whoa.

She shook her head. He had said all but three of the tattoos were relating to her in some way. She didn't see the connection in most of them, but some, like the hairpin and this, her birthday, were obvious. Had he really cared for her that much? Had he been in love with her like he said? If so, why had he pulled away so abruptly? It didn't make any sense to her.

She didn't respond right away, thinking over everything and wondering what he meant to accomplish by sending her the picture. In the end, about an hour and a half later, she realized she could wonder all she wanted; she wouldn't get an answer until she asked. So she did.

_\- What was that for?_

Ulquiorra was sitting on his bed with his phone sitting next to him. He felt like a fool. He shouldn't have sent the pic to her. He was stupid. He was dumb. He should throw himself off the roof of the building. That is how stupid he felt as he waited for a reply.

Then her text came in. He dragged a hand down his face and took a deep breath before opening it. What was that for? What did she think it was for?

_\- You wanted to see them. I'm showing you them. I'm done. You've got my "brand loyalty"._

He sighed and then sent the text off to her. She'd probably take one look at it and then delete him from her life.

Her reply was almost immediate.

_\- You're done what?_

Would he have to spell it out for her? Did she want him going all "Say Anything " and find where she was and play music for her? Ulquiorra shook his head.

_\- I'm done fucking other people._

She was confused. Why would he stop… oh. Brand loyalty. What? He was more confusing than ever.

_\- Why the radio silence the last three days?_

He bit his lip and wished that she would just understand where he was coming from; what he was thinking. "Woman," he muttered.

_\- We got history. I got scared. I'm human now. I don't get some of this shit that's going on inside of me. Take it or leave it._

_\- I told you I took it. I can handle the truth. I want to see you. I want you to tell me about these tattoos. I understand some of them but, - ! ! !OMG I JUST NOTICED YOUR HAIR!_

_\- You said you wanted it cut or that I should have gotten it cut… Something like that. Whatever. You don't like it?_

Ulquiorra frowned before sending the text to her.

She didn't write back. She took a selfie. She sat with her hair done up like the Bride of Frankenstein or something in a stylist's chair, blushing and grinning like a schoolgirl. She put a filter with hearts floating around her head on it, and captioned it, "Hey handsome... Wanna go out sometime?"

She sent it feeling like the world's biggest loser. She didn't care. He looked so good!

She waited a second, not receiving a reply, and decided she better specify.

_\- I am saying, "it surprisingly suits you."_

He scoffed at the words but smiled.

_\- I would love to go out with you. Tell your boy Markus I'll do the test thing. Also, I'm not gonna answer any texts about the tattoos. Gotta ask questions about them to my face._

_\- Name the time and place. I missed you._

Hmmm. He had to ponder this for a moment. How could three fucking words make his heart start beating faster? She missed him? She had no fucking clue how much he missed her.

_\- Now? Tonight? Tomorrow morning while I make you breakfast? Any time. Any place. I missed you too, Woman._

_\- Tonight. I look ridiculous right now (don't tell Markus, lol)_

She didn't look ridiculous. She looked cute… minus the hair.

_\- Go home, take a shower, get pretty for me. LOL. Or you can shower here._

She smiled.

-_ Are you going to pick me up? Or should we meet for that coffee first?_

Ulquiorra felt like if they met at her house something was going to happen. Then again… if she came to his place… something was definitely going to happen. Decisions, decisions. What to do?

_\- Come over like you are._

She laughed. So eager? Well she guessed he had to make up for lost time. Still, she didn't want to feel less attractive than he was, although with the new hair and the abs and the tatts… it was going to be a challenge to even match him.

_\- No way. You can't be the prettier one. At least not that much prettier. I'm getting cleaned up first. Do you want me to bring coffee?_

_\- I'm not pretty. I'm hot. I'm fine. I'm sexy. Hi, yes, did you call for an order of ego bc here it is. Just come over. Fuck the coffee._

She bit the inside of her cheek and shook her head.

_\- I'll see you at eight._

* * *

She got out of the stylist's chair at around six and got home as quickly as she could. She showered and shaved, lotioned and preened. She dried her hair and blew it out as fast as she could. It would have to stay slightly damp. She threw on a green sundress. It was an off-the-rack version of the one she had worn for Uryu's fashion show. Much more modest -it didn't expose everything but her nipples and she could wear a bra underneath easily without it being seen- and it had a crocheted racerback instead of being nearly bare in back. She did her minimal face, threw on some white converse and a cropped jean jacket, and left the house with minutes to spare.

Ulquiorra was nervous. He paced his apartment, seemingly wearing a groove in the hardwood floor. So he decided to give up a lifestyle of whoring around and focus on one woman. That woman knew him better than most. She had seen different facets of him. He was wearing the same thing he had on in the picture he sent earlier. No shirt… just his jeans.

After their texts, he'd gone back to the genkan and taken off his shoes. He tried to make it a habit since Orihime had seemed so scandalized over him just traipsing through his apartment with them on. He shouldn't be this anxious. They had done this a couple times. Except the last time had ended with him baring his naked ass to her and a heavy dose of making out. He could do this. She was coming over. He'd make the coffee. They'd talk.

She was at about the fourth floor. She had been so happy to see him that she thought of little else except for feeling happy until she was on her way to the fifth floor. By the time she was on the ninth floor, her stomach was doing flip-flops. Was tonight the night? Was she going to finally have sex? Even if not, was it going to be as easy in person as it had been via text?

When she got to his door, she paused to catch her breath before knocking. She gave herself a good three minutes, walking back and forth in front of his door and trying to cool down. She was glad she had the sense to take her jacket off before she started climbing the steps.

Once she was able to breathe and speak at the same time, she knocked.

Hearing those taps on his door made his heart leap into his throat. She was here. Okay. Fuck. He couldn't do this. Ulquiorra shuffled towards the door and stood there for a moment. He wanted to stomp his feet and whine like he'd seen some child do some months ago. This was one little bump in the road, but one little thing could mess this entire thing up.

Unlocking the door, Ulquiorra opened it and looked at the woman on the other side. "Hey," he said before allowing her to enter the apartment.

"Hey yourself," she said, smiling at him and entering, stepping into his personal space but then backing off when he took a step backward. Ok then, no hugs, she thought.

He noticed her expression and frowned. What had he done wrong?

She smiled at him and bent down to untie her shoes. Maybe he wanted to talk first. That made sense. "So what did you do today?" she asked sweetly.

"I got a haircut. I texted you. I tried to paint." Ulquiorra was confused by her question. He thought something significant was supposed to happen since he declared his undying devotion to her. "What about you?"

"You know, same old, same old, moped about you ignoring me, got some work done, had Markus' assistant torture me. A regular day." she stood, now free of her shoes, and waited to be ushered into the next room.

He closed the door then turned to her. Ulquiorra had been waiting for hours to get her alone; to have her all to himself. He reached for her and wrapped his arms around her. "I wasn't ignoring you," he said to the top of her head.

She was easily placated, wrapping her arms around his bare torso as well, and inhaling his scent again. "I missed this smell," she said, then giggled at herself. She wasn't going to even try to be cool around him. There was no point. He'd figure out how sappy and corny she was soon enough, and honestly, if her five lifetimes of love and what is the heart speeches hadn't taught him about her sugary sweet inclinations, there was no hope for him anyway. She squeezed.

"A good thing I just ordered more," he commented, highly amused at her. "I missed you, Woman. I'm not saying that to say it. I did. I missed your complaining. I missed your kisses. I missed making perverted comments to you."

She hummed. "Well, I missed those things too. Especially the complaining," she teased. "What do you mean complaining!? I am so not a complainer! Except maybe about your 12 flights of stairs. Did you know I stood out there for a good five minutes before I knocked because I didn't want to show you how out of breath I was?"

"I was in here pacing, so I'm glad you took that five-minute break," Ulquiorra teased back. Well, he wasn't really teasing because he had been doing that, but if he put a laugh with it, she wouldn't think anything was amiss. "Did Blond Dickhead make you work hard today?"

"Always. I'll be glad when the campaign is over. I mean, Markus is rarely there and he's nice to me because I'm his boyfriend's roommate, but he is very demanding. Anyway, I didn't come here to talk shop. I want you to invite me in, make me coffee, and tell me about your tattoos!"

He chuckled then stepped away from her. "Nope, I'm not telling you a thing about them. You've gotta ask questions. Go in the other room and sit down. I'll bring the coffee out to you."

"Fine," she mumbled, only pretending to be disgruntled. She actually thought this little game could be fun. She walked into the studio space and sat in the computer chair to wait.

Ulquiorra stood in the doorway and looked at her. The coffee could wait. "Which one do you want to know about first?"

"Umm, tell me about the feather."

"Um, I could fly. I thought it was appropriate. Birds can fly. They have feathers. I'm sure with enough time I could have evolved more." Ulquiorra cleared his throat and then shook his head. "Uh, I was more powerful than any of the other Espada. I'm sure you know that. I liked my position I had. Even achieving the Segunda Etapa release, there was still more power there."

She whistled lowly. "You sound pretty confident. What was the line from that one anime? "This isn't even my final form"!" She paused to laugh. "Seriously though, I am glad you didn't reach a third release; I probably would have been vaporized just by proximity. I can still remember how it felt; your spiritual pressure."

He shook his head. Anytime he thought of the past and what happened put him in a foul mood. "Anyway," he said. "Uh, next tattoo..."

"Ok then, the antlers."

"I knew the Tres Espada before Hallibel and all I could remember was that she turned into a goat or something. I plan on getting some form of all the Espada on me. A wolf for Starrk. A skull for Barragan." Ulquiorra shook his head again. Why was he telling her this stuff?

She was smiling and hanging on his every word. "What about Grimmjow?" she asked, sounding like the idea was distasteful.

He gave a chuckle and licked his lips before responding. "I had no respect for anyone under me. Nnoitra down to Aaroniero could kiss my Cuatro ass. Yammy was annoying but I knew what he could do. He doesn't deserve a spot but, he can't be placed on that list."

Ulquiorra took a minute before asking, "How many Espada still remain? Did the shinigami kill them all? You said Grimmjow was alive some months ago."

"Hmm, as far as I know just him, Hallibel and Nelliel remain. I haven't heard about them since the war; I assume they still live in Hueco Mundo."

The dark-haired man nodded his head. It figured the rest had perished. "Next," he said. "Pick a tattoo, any tattoo."

She laughed and smiled broadly. "Um, let's see.. the flower on your waist."

He twisted his torso so that she could get a better look at it. "It reminded me of you… How warm and beautiful you were. How pink you were, compared to the gray pallor of my Hierro."

Her mouth twisted into an embarrassed kind of smirk and she blushed bright pink. She let her eyes flit between her fingers and the flower tattoo. "You thought I was beautiful?"

Green eyes rolled and he smirked at her. "Duh, I know beauty when I see it. Remember the 'I only believe in what I can see bullshit'?"

She chuckled awkwardly, "Yeah, um, anyway, next tell me about the heart, both hearts."

"I asked you years ago what was a heart, did I not?" Ulquiorra asked. He walked over to where she was sitting and leaned down to kiss her. When he pulled away, he brushed her cheek with his fingers. "I found it. I was dying but I found it. I got the other one because the heart was in my hand. You reached out to me and my last thought before I completely turned to ash was that your heart was in my hand."

Her lower lip wobbled, and she pulled at his hand for him to lean down again so she could kiss him. She pulled away after a moment and rested her head against his. "I always wondered about that. You had a very gentle, almost regretful expression. I was very emotional at the time so I didn't trust my memory, but I always thought that maybe you knew; maybe you always knew."

He wanted to gather her in his arms but didn't. Ulquiorra stood there like that with her. He decided to voluntarily tell her about one of his tattoos. "I got my name tattooed on me so the whole C. Murcielago thing wasn't suspicious, I guess. I mean people peg me as a self-centered asshole. "

She kissed his cheek and asked, "In that case is it safe to assume that the Espada tattoo and the other written one are to be taken at face value?"

"I'm not a sword. I was never anything to Aizen but a gofer. I got it tattooed on me because although I didn't like my job, I took pride in being one of them. Luz de la Luna was that stupid thing I threw at that Hollow. It never worked right," Ulquiorra answered.

She laughed a bit, "You may not have been a sword, but you handled one rather nicely," she looked to see if he caught her innuendo. Before he could say anything she continued, "The way you moved was so elegant and precise... It was like watching a dancer or a heron."

He shrugged at her assessment. "Move, let me sit down. You can sit on my lap and I'll tell you about the others."

She did as he said, standing and waiting for him to be seated before sitting sideways on his lap, wrapping her near arm behind his back. "What about this one? " she asked, pointing at the cross."

"I got it because it looked like a simplified sword. Then I found out what it really was," Ulquiorra laughed. He remembered his face when one of the other tenants had told him about the cross. "I'm stuck with it. Let's see which ones are left… You know about the boat, you've seen the owl and the cat and the moon. I've already told you about those. I guess that's it."

"Not so fast, mister," she said, lowering her gaze. "I think there are three more little mysteries…"

"Four but if I don't have to explain it, then I won't," Ulquiorra smirked at her. "Uh, the plane is from your Shun Shun Rikka. It looked like a small plane to me. What you did was-You defied the laws of nature and I couldn't process it. It was unbelievable to me. "

"And the blue one is my hairpin, right?"

"Yes, Woman."

She kissed his cheek again. "And the numerals? My birthday? I didn't know you cared much about something like that, being an immortal and all that."

He sighed and propped his elbow on his desk, holding his head up. "That's what separated us. I was immortal and you were human. Your life was fragile, mine wasn't. I studied everything about you before I took you away. Those numbers were burned into my brain, along with every other fact about you."

"How long had you watched me before you were ordered to take me?"

Ulquiorra could feel his face get hot. He did not want to answer this question but he knew she deserved an answer. "A month, maybe close to two?"

She raised her brow in surprise. That long? "I must have bored you to tears. Unless of course, I did some stupid things… oh god, I probably… How much time per day would you watch?" she asked, worried that she would regret the question.

"Almost twenty-four hours a day. I had one of those bracelets that I gave you. I could move around undetected," Ulquiorra replied. "I saw a lot. I heard a lot."

She hung her head in shame and muttered, "Oh my god!" She didn't want her bedtime rituals coming up in conversation or her bathroom habits or the things she told her brother in prayer, it was too embarrassing to even think about. So, she changed the subject. "And the last one? The chess piece? That one I don't understand."

His face got redder and he could feel the blush creeping to his ears. How the fuck was he going to answer this without sounding like a pervert? Ulquiorra bit his lip and groaned. "You're not a princess. You're a queen, and all those tattoos remind me of you when I-" He couldn't say it.

"When you what?" She asked, so very innocently, taking a finger and tracing the crown of the chess piece carefully.

Oh god. He could barely swallow. "Stop. Stop. Stop. I don't want a repeat of a couple days ago," Ulquiorra said before grabbing her hand. "They remind me of you when I get myself off."

She was so shocked by his response that she blew a raspberry before bursting out into a peal of girlish giggles. "Ok, now I don't feel so embarrassed about you watching me do… watching me all that time," she finally said, blushing bright red as well.

"I watched you while you were captive too. I saw everything then. I knew your schedule enough while in the World of the Living to give you space. I knew when to give you privacy."

She hung her head and shook it, whining in dismay. "You must have thought I was a pervert."

Ulquiorra chuckled. "Woman, you're not. Do you have any tattoos?" he asked.

"No, should I get one?" she asked, amused by the question.

"Dunno. I was just asking if you had any. You seemed to like mine so much," he stated. He gave her a small smile. "If you wanted one, what would you get?"

"Hmmm, I don't know… It's a sudden question. What do you suggest?"

Ulquiorra thought about this question for a moment. What could possibly mean that much to Orihime that she wouldn't regret? "You seem to like your hairpins," he said.

"Hmm, sure, but I was thinking something different. Maybe something to do with my new life," she found his eyes and got lost in them for a minute as she thought about it.

"Woman, I want to paint you," he said staring back at her. Ulquiorra felt overwhelmed with emotion that he said the first thing that came to mind. He must have sounded desperate.

Not the response she was anticipating, but alright. When an artist is inspired, who was she to stand in the way? "Ok," the woman replied with a bemused smile.

He gave her a concerned expression then kissed her. "Not right now. Soon. Right now I just want to take you to my bed and kiss you until you're unable to stand it, if you're up for that."

Her cheeks darkened at his sudden proposal, which had made her feel shy. She nodded.

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	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10: Let You In**

_Warning: Mature Content_

Ulquiorra lay beside Orihime on his bed. It didn't take long for them to leave the studio portion of his apartment and climb the ladder to his bedroom. He had pounced on her once they were at the top. They made out for a bit until he called for a break because he _so _did not want this to be a repeat of the other night. He wanted to make this last and draw it out. "Woman?" he asked, twisting his body and looking at her. "What happened in the time between my death and four years ago? You mentioned another war."

She closed her eyes and nodded, keeping them closed for a moment while she recalled some things, then opened them again and met his gaze. "There was. There were many casualties. It was sorrowful."

He frowned and touched her face, letting his fingers trail from her forehead down her cute nose. "That's unfortunate. It wasn't anything like the Winter War, right?"

"Not exactly, but not completely different, I suppose. There was this guy, Yhwach, who was apparently the predecessor of all the Quincies. He wanted to kill the Soul King and make all the dimensions collide and more or less disappear? I think? No one really bothered to explain it to me properly. Anyway, Urahara took me and Sado to Hueco Mundo and we helped organize hollows there to fight against the Quincies. They had bases set up there and in Soul Society. After the Quincies in Hueco Mundo were defeated, we returned to Soul Society to help the shinigami. Grimmjow and Nel joined us.

The battles in Soul Society were much worse. Of the thirteen court guard captains, three were killed, well, one was made the new soul king but that is not exactly being alive. Captain Kuchiki was also very badly injured and nearly died. Many of the lieutenants were killed or maimed. It was a bloodbath. Aizen surprisingly lent some support but he was left in captivity after all was said and done."

"He who shall not be named," she said with an ominous tone before continuing, "discovered he was some shinigami human hollow quincy hybrid and became immensely powerful. He didn't revert to that thing that killed you. He asked me to help him in a final battle against Yhwach. I failed. In the end, _Uryu _was instrumental in killing Yhwach." She ended the story with a deep breath, having kind of rambled it all out quickly in an effort to disseminate as much information as possible.

Ulquiorra scowled. That was a lot of information to digest. The only thing he understood was the name of the person who turned him into an Arrancar. "Aizen is alive?"

"Yes, he was sealed by Urahara but as far as anyone knows he is unable to be killed."

Silence followed. One of these days, he would have to make a visit to Urahara's and get some answers from the ex-Shinigami. "You said you played a part? Did you actually find your backbone?" he asked.

"What?" she asked, offended.

That didn't come out right at all. Ulquiorra knew he had to backpedal a bit. "I mean you actually had the guts to fight..." He sighed. This wasn't the way he planned for this to go. Curiosity killed the cat… and it certainly was killing the sensual mood that had been there before. "Forget it. I just wanted to know."

"You wanted to know whether or not I was spineless. Real nice," she said, twisting her mouth and raising her brows. "I was _never_spineless. I went with you, didn't I? I made a choice and followed it through. Yes, I am not an offense player. I never have been. It's not my way. That never made me spineless," she was _pissed._

"To be fair, I threatened the lives of your friends. I maimed those Shinigami in the Dangai to show you that I could do it," Ulquiorra murmured. He could tell she was angry. "You weren't spineless. You had the courage to slap me."

"Ha!" she laughed. "That wasn't courage, my friend. That was just blind rage. I was _lucky _you didn't react. As for going with you in the dangai, you know it really wasn't necessary for you to hurt those shinigami; your presence alone was enough to convince me that there was nothing I could do to contradict you. You had enough power in the tip of your little finger to blow the whole place up. My ability to detect spiritual pressure is a lot better than you think."

"Oh we're just friends now? I see," he gave her a smile that hopefully conveyed he was teasing. "I don't have any spiritual pressure now. I know that much."

She smiled in return, glad that he broke the tension. "I know. And I'll tell you, I was rather awed by your power, but I much prefer this version of you."

Ulquiorra looked at her for a moment. The only thing he had gotten from her when he had met her as a Hollow was the fact that she was not happy about the situation she was in nor did she like him. The only thing that changed that way of thinking was on top of the dome when she reached out for his hand. "Why this version? Human me is boring. I can't fly. I can't warp really fast to different locations. I can't even stand in the sky or flatten anyone anymore."

Her smile expanded and she looked down at his bare chest, touching the hollow hole tattoo. "No, you can't. But you are intact. You are warm. You can kiss me," she said, slowly bringing her eyes back up to his face. "You are real. No degradation of my spiritual awareness is going to change my perception of this version of you."

He thought he had been calmed down enough but as soon as she touched him, that wanting returned, stronger this time. "I could have kissed you as an Arrancar. I didn't think it'd be appropriate or wanted," he stated. Ulquiorra smirked. "Besides you wouldn't have wanted the dead guy."

She laughed. "I never thought of you as dead until you turned to ash, you know," her smile faded a bit after she said that. "Anyway, I was still only a child then, really. Kind of. No, that's a lie. There are things about me that you can't have learned just by watching me for two months. I grew up too fast before I was ever a blip on your radar. _Anyway, _despite what happened, with you taking me and all, I did feel some form of… affection? Camaraderie? In a warped sense…"

"I know nothing about you really. I know when your birthday is. I know your full name. I know about your brother. I knew about your friends. I've seen your body but. I. Do. Not. Know. You." Ulquiorra enunciated the last few words.

"Well, what would you like to know? Ask me anything," she said with a lazy grin.

"Favorite food? Color? Do you actually like what you do as a career?"

"Hm, favorite food would be… a tough decision, but probably eggs. Done almost anyway except hardboiled. Color?" she pursed her lips and looked down, embarrassed. "Green," she paused then said, "I love what I do. It's so exciting to feel like I'm part of something and to have my contributions recognized and my ideas emulated. What about you? What's yours?"

He never thought about this. It never occurred to him that he liked something so much that it was his favorite. "Uh, there is a cafe around here that has an amazing Paella. I like eating that. Also French toast. Uh, also green but I tend to go for colors that are closer to my eye color… Uh, there's a word for it… Jewel-toned."

Ulquiorra paused for a moment before he looked around the room. He couldn't see his two favorite paintings from the bed but he slowly nodded. "I wanted something to remember you by. I knew that you were going to leave Las Noches and I wanted to capture a memory of you. That's why I started painting. That's the only skill I could capitalize on when I found out I was alive. You were the only thing I wanted to paint though."

She took his hand and threaded her fingers through his, bringing them up to her mouth and kissing the back of his hand. "And now? You don't need an image to remember me anymore."

He wanted to restrain himself but she was innocently unraveling his resolve. It was quickly crumbling. "I'll sell _Midori No Ai _… but I'm keeping _The Woman and the Moon_," Ulquiorra murmured before leaning over, kissing her. His hand came up, resting against the side of her breast then trailing down her side.

She sighed at his touch and reciprocated, bringing her hand up to his now permanently exposed neck and kissing him back, only to break it and purr, "Did I tell you how much I like your haircut? And why part with _Midori no Ai?"_

"You might have mentioned it… Once or twice but it's always nice to hear it again." He whispered. "Because soon, I'm going to paint a better version of it. A nicer version of it. One where your nose is perfect."

She kissed the tip of his nose. "Okay, love, whatever you want," she murmured, not being especially thoughtful with her language. She captured his lips again and put her tongue in his mouth, the hand on his neck scratching a gentle line down to his shoulder and back up.

Ulquiorra's thoughts stuttered when he heard her. Love? _Love_? He couldn't dwell on it because she was touching him again and it felt good so his mind quickly occupied itself with the sensations he felt. He hated how fast his mind could flip between one thing to the next without a second thought. "What I want is you," he said before pushing her onto her back. Ulquiorra moved so he was on top of her, Orihime's legs opened by his hips. He returned to kissing her mouth and made his way down her chin then neck. "Mmmm… You smell nice too, Woman."

She only smiled and hummed in response, too wrapped up in what he was doing to her neck and the pressure of his weight on her hips. A fleeting thought occurred to her that perhaps they should slow down. She disregarded it. Fuck going slow. Fuck being cautious. He told her he had been in love with her for four years, right? He said she had "brand loyalty", right? So what was there to worry about? She raked her fingertips up and down his back, holding him close to her.

He made his way up to her ear, nuzzling the curve of it. Ulquiorra kissed the area right below her ear and smirked when he heard her whimper. It wasn't very loud but he still heard it. He wondered what other sounds she would reveal. What would she sound like if he sucked on that area? What about if he bit it? Slowly he made his way down her neck to the base of her throat, in between her collar bones. He wanted to mark her right where his Hollow hole had been but he just kissed the flesh.

She whined softly and thrashed her right leg somewhat, frustrated by how gentle he was being. Her blood was on fire. When her right foot made contact with the mattress again, she pushed against it, arching her body into his.

Hnnngh. His brain was once again going into overload. The way she moved against him felt more enjoyable than anything else. Ulquiorra pulled away from her and sat back kneeling on the bed. He made sure she was watching as he unbuttoned the jeans and then unzipped them. Biting his lip, he waited for her to say something; to stop him as he pushed them down his hips. It took a bit of struggling but he finally threw the pants onto the floor and sat there between Orihime's legs with just a pair of boxer-briefs on.

She watched him with hungry eyes, and when he was finished, kneeling before her, she suddenly felt overdressed. She wasn't sure if he was the kind of guy who liked to unwrap a gift or just have it delivered to him on a platter, so she waited for some kind of cue from him, the whole while looking his body up and down and breathing heavily.

All he did was raise an eyebrow at her before he started pushing up the hem of her dress. It didn't take long before Ulquiorra had it off of her. He shook it out and then laid it at the foot of the bed. Then his emerald green eyes stared at her. The strapless bra was cute but it would soon be gone. The panties were innocent but romantic looking but they'd be hitting the floor soon too. The lace was a nice touch, so was the bow. "Huh, I get matching lingerie. Nice," he said before he lowered his face back to her chest. Carefully, as not to scare or startle her, Ulquiorra pressed his face into her cleavage, kissing and licking the skin there.

She cooed. This was heaven for sure. She was present enough though to appreciate his remark, and responded in a breathy voice, "Well, I figured it was either this or nothing. I didn't know what would work better for you." Again, she had no problem just laying her intentions bare. With him, it always felt like she didn't have to hide her true self.

"It didn't feel like you had anything on the other night," Ulquiorra said looking up at her. He placed a kiss on the top of one tit before doing the same to the other. "That dress you wore was tight. I would have been able to tell if you had anything on underneath. Why don't we recreate that?"

She smirked. "You're right about the other night, she admitted, raising her back off of the mattress a bit and shimmying her elbows up and under her to provide access to the clasp if he wanted it. "Markus' orders, '_ No Undies!' _ It sounds much more risque than it is," she said with a small giggle.

His mouth went dry. Had he not been some emo bastard this could have happened much, much sooner. "It sounds hot," he finally managed to say. Ulquiorra reached behind her with one hand, snapped his fingers in a way that the bra came undone. He pulled back and waited for her to remove it. He was going to let her dictate how things went. If Orihime wanted to show him what was under that piece of clothing, she would show him.

He didn't have to wait long for his answer, as he sat up, she looked down at herself to see that the bra cups were still in place, then looked up to his face. The fire in his eyes was evident, his pupils dilated and irises minimal. With a demure smile, she lifted a hand to the center of the garment and pulled it down slowly. When her nipples sprung free, she cast it aside, somewhere near the dresser or in its general direction. She looked back to Ulquiorra to see his reaction.

"Fuck." was the only word that came out of his mouth. His voice sounded rough, filled with a low gravelly tone. Ulquiorra just sat and stared before he reached a pale hand out and touched the outside curve before placing his entire hand over her breast. They were perfect. They were nice. They were heavenly… That was the only way he could describe her tits. Ulquiorra let his fingers run over one nipple then his other hand decided it wanted to join in on this. He lifted his eyes to her face before he brushed his thumbs over those buds of sensitive skin.

She closed her eyes and pleasure washed over her face, exhaling a wanton breath as he touched her, her chest sinking with it, causing her breasts to wobble under his palms. Her body rose when she inhaled again, sharply. Her eyes opened halfway and met his. They almost appeared to hold an unspoken challenge.

Lowering his head to her chest again, Ulquiorra let his nose touch the skin before his lips did. He wasn't slow about it this time. After kissing a line between her breasts, he enveloped one nipple with his mouth, tongue flicking over the tip rapidly. He heard himself groan. A few moments later he switched to the other one but this time he glanced up at her before his mouth attached itself to her skin.

She mewled and writhed, and was having a hard time keeping her eyes open. The sight of him latched onto her breast made her want to urge him to take off those boxer-briefs and get inside of her _posthaste. _As it was, she was slightly worried that he would be taken aback by the state of her undergarments if and when he ever got there. She didn't think she had ever been so wet in her entire life.

"Something wrong, Woman?" Ulquiorra asked, laying his head on one breast, smiling at her. He could feel heat radiating off of her. He could detect the change in her movements and sounds. "You want to tell me what _you _want or do you just want me to take my time?"

She whined a long, painful whine. "You're evil," she cried softly, cupping his jaw and pulling his face up to hers and kissing him deeply. She wanted to drink him. She wanted him to fill her. It was a deep, instinctual, difficult to articulate need. "Ulquiorra," she cooed, breaking the kiss before reaching her mouth to his ear and whispering, "I need you."

It was once again hard for him to swallow because his mouth was dry. She _needed _him? Why? How? With his previous sexual encounters, there hadn't been much conversation. It was two parties with a mutual understanding of what the hell was gonna go down. This was so much more than that. This was something he'd been longing and yearning for a long time; for years and decades and centuries. He just didn't know it was this human woman that would unlock the one thing he wasn't supposed to have.

With a sigh, he sat up again, getting to his knees. He hooked his thumbs in the band of the boxer-briefs he wore and started to inch them down, studying her face carefully. Once he felt like he had teased her enough, Ulquiorra shoved the underwear down his thighs and knees then kicked them off.

She was stunned. She had seen dicks before; Uryu wasn't exactly modest when he walked around the apartment, but this was different. This was _his. _It was erect because of her. She couldn't do anything except take shallow breaths and stare at it, her already flushed cheeks gaining a bit more color, and her heavy eyelids lifting and lowering with each breath. She bit her lower lip after a couple seconds and dragged her eyes up his entire form. He was gorgeous. He deserved appreciation. "You…" she had to take another breath. "You are so sexy."

"Am I?" He chuckled, trying not to let her reaction inflate his ego. He took a deep breath. It was the only thing that Ulquiorra could do to calm himself down. He reached for her letting his hands slide from her tits down her waist. He liked how she squirmed when he lightly tickled her. His fingers stopped on those frilly panties. His green eyes looked down. He could see the slightly darker fabric between her legs; those underwear were white but he could see the outline of her lips. Fuck. She had to be soaked. "You want me to take these down for you or...?"

She bit her lip and nodded.

His breathing became somewhat labored and he felt the tremble in his hands. It would really suck if this was all a dream to him. Ulquiorra wanted to pinch himself just to make sure that it was real. This wasn't some hallucination. It didn't take much to shift the lace and satin off her hips. It was no effort to drag them down her thighs. Once the lingerie had cleared her feet, he threw them to the side and then stared.

He was speechless, green eyes traveling over her naked body. This was Venus staring at him. "You want to say I'm sexy. Woman, you're fucking gorgeous."

Orihime was mildly surprised that she felt no fear or misgivings at her exposure, and smiled at his compliment. "Ulquiorra…" She didn't know how to complete her sentence. She didn't have the words. Instead, she slowly bent her knees and drew them apart.

He had to bite his lip to keep from moaning. His teeth sank into his bottom lip because he wanted to tell her how fucking beautiful she was and how he just wanted to claim her and touch her. He wanted to fuck her. He wanted to make love to her. This revelation threw him for a loop. He'd never done that before.

Ulquiorra had fucked. He had had sex.

This would be a first for both of them.

He shifted closer to her, bringing her thighs to rest on either side of his legs. He was observing everything she did, committing it to memory. His hand visibly shook as he reached out and touched her stomach, letting his fingers drift down her skin. It felt hot. His own skin felt like it was on fire and molten lava flowed through it instead of blood. When he reached the apex of her thighs, his breath caught in his throat.

Orihime wasn't just wet. She was practically dripping and it was because of him.

She keened, and a soft but sharp, "ah" escaped her lips at his first touch. He hadn't done anything except make gentle contact, and already her world was upside down. There was an involuntary jerk of her hips, and his fingertip just barely dipped between her dewy lips.

They should have discussed things better before taking their clothes off. He didn't know what her whole being a virgin entailed so he was unsure how far to take this. Ulquiorra never really touched a woman like this either. The skin was slick and warm as he let his fingers glide down. His movements were slow as he touched Orihime, stroking the skin. It didn't take much for him to move his hand lower and slip a finger inside of her.

She had been touched before; this wasn't altogether new. But this was _him. _ She knew this was just the beginning. When his finger entered her, she held her breath, waiting for another to immediately follow. When he didn't make that move, she opened her eyes and looked at him. She was moved to see what looked like fear in his eyes. If she hadn't been somewhat afraid of freaking him out and having him stop, she would have told him she loved him.

Instead, she brought a gentle hand to his cheek, forcing him to look at her. "You're not going to break me," she said and smiled. She hoped her eyes told him what her mouth wouldn't.

Foolish. He felt foolish. Ulquiorra looked at Orihime, knowing his expression said he was apprehensive about this. He sighed and withdrew his hand from between her legs. Leaning down, he closed his eyes and kissed her. He had never experienced this before, this feeling of being afraid of what was going to happen.

He could feel his cock brush against her body. He lined himself up then deepened their kiss, letting his tongue lap at her mouth. He pulled back enough to whisper to her, "Tell me if it's too much, okay?"

She was ready. "Okay," she whispered and pulled his face into hers for another open-mouthed kiss and tilted her hips, sliding one foot up the back of his leg, indicating her readiness.

Ulquiorra groaned as he pushed into her, the sound muffled by their liplock. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He had to take a moment and pause because he wasn't sure how long this was going to last. She clung to him like wet clothing to a body. Tight. He broke their kiss and looked down at Orihime to gauge her reaction.

Her eyes were closed and her brow slightly furrowed as her body adjusted to this intrusion. She breathed in a choked manner, taking a quick inhalation and holding it, then letting it out in a rush. When she realized he had paused, her brow relaxed, and she looked at him. Her eyes widened as the realization hit her: he was inside of her. They were sharing a body. She gasped and claimed his lips again, using her legs to urge him deeper.

Oh damn. He slid more of himself inside of her at her insistence, grasping at the sheets for want of something to hold onto. A jolt of pleasure ran down his spine and legs, rolling over him in waves as his hips touched her body. He did it. He was the first… He was Orihime's first. It still felt surreal to him.

Propping himself up with one arm, Ulquiorra looked down to see that his body was connected to hers. A quiet growl left him as he began to shift his hips to pull out of her core at a gradual pace.

This was all very overwhelming to Orihime. When he filled her completely, a deep, slow, guttural moan escaped her lips. This was bliss, despite the discomfort and pleasure warring for prominence in her mind. On top of it, her emotions were firing rapidly, bombarding her brain with messages that should not yet see the light of day. Then, as he began to pull out of her, all those other feelings and sensations took a backseat to desperation. She clawed at his back and lifted her hips as much as she could under his weight, fighting to keep him inside of her. She cried out his name.

"Shhhh," he murmured. Ulquiorra felt her fingernails digging into his back. He didn't know what to tell her. This was how it was done, wasn't it? "Shhh, it's okay." He kissed her as his hips started moving in slow thrusts, back and forth. His breath hitched in his throat as his body touched hers again. "Fuck… Woman."

"Yes?" she asked in a whisper. Her breathing was slow and audible. As he moved the discomfort she initially felt faded away and she was left only with a growing hunger, a need to increase the tension building in her where they were joined. Each shift he made added another level to this increasingly frenetic need. He was moving in her, but she wanted more. She wanted to feel him lose himself in her. She was already lost.

"Are you okay?" He asked looking at her face, his eyes following every motion Orihime made. Ulquiorra paused again. He knew he wanted her. He wanted to pleasure her. He needed her. "I'm going to start moving. I need to know if you're okay."

She lifted her heavy eyelids and looked deeply into his eyes, her breath puffing into his face. She took a moment to memorize this moment, the feel of their connected bodies, the intimacy she felt, the look of sweet concern etched into his brow. She touched his cheek and raised her eyebrows slightly. "Yes, I'm okay. Please," the request was implied.

That was all he needed. Ulquiorra let go of his grasp on the bedsheets and lifted his torso up further, using his arms to brace himself. That apprehension was still there. The staggering field of emotions was still there. He began to move in earnest this time. His thrusts less gentle and becoming more insistent. He wanted her to feel every inch that he could give her. He moaned out her name, closing his eyes against the wave of pleasure that washed over him.

Things were heating up for Orihime more quickly than anticipated. Ulquiorra's body fit to hers like a puzzle piece. She wondered for a brief moment if some divine being created each of them for the other. The more powerful his thrusts, the higher his hips came off of the mattress, and the more she was able to move to meet him. Having some control over the angle of her hips only accelerated the approaching rise toward climax. Her breath came faster, and she panted his name as his hips snapped into hers. She could feel every muscle in her body strain in waves as she chased something that seemed to be just beyond her reach. Without thought or censure, she reached between them and grabbed one of her breasts, choking out a ragged sob as the first of many small spasms began deep in her belly. This wasn't it. Not yet. But it was a preview of what was coming.

His strokes were long and then short, keeping it varied. Ulquiorra heard her. He felt her. He kept moving inside of her. He shifted his hips only a fraction angling them so that his cock would drag against her wetness in a blissful way. He opened his eyes to see Orihime, mouth open, chest heaving while she grabbed one tit. Her small hand did nothing to cover half of the skin. Just that thought almost sent him over the edge. The tension in his body was just about to break, he could feel it. Muscles coiled, his breathing jilted; he was becoming overstimulated.

She felt the change in him; the control he had exhibited was breaking and he was being overcome. The sound of his strangled breath pleased her, knowing that it was her body giving him such enjoyment. She opened her eyes slightly to see the skin of his throat and that tattoo he had gotten with her in mind. She was all over his body. Her ragged breaths turned into loud cries as her orgasm snuck up on her, somewhere between realizing his pleasure and his devotion. Her body twitched violently, and her passage clamped down on him as he tried to move, then fluttered loose before doing it again and again and again.

Calling out her name, Ulquiorra felt the pulses go through her body. She was coming on him. It didn't take much for him to slam into Orihime's body once more and then still his hips. He growled at the sensation of his orgasm, rippling down his nerves. He was coming inside of her, and her body hungrily took every bit of what he gave her. As soon as he could and when his legs didn't feel boneless, he rolled off of Orihime and lay beside her, trying to take deep breaths.

Orihime stilled. She breathed in slow, shuddering breaths and exhaled quickly. She dropped a forearm over her brow and took another deep breath, this time making a long "ooh" sound. "Well," she breathed, "I'm not a virgin anymore," she said in a small, giddy voice, and giggled for a moment.

Ulquiorra chuckled but it was short-lived because he was still trying to remember how his lungs worked. He shook his head. They just had phenomenal sex and that's all she could say? "Yeah, you're definitely not a virgin anymore, Woman."

She panted a bit more after the smile faded a bit, then rolled over to her side to face his profile. "Um, I don't know what people usually do or say after that, but, um, thank you?"

He laughed this time. "I have no clue. This is about the time that bitches have to go. Not you though. You can stay here with me and you're not a bitch. You're my princess and my Queen." Ulquiorra was babbling so he didn't keep himself restrained or in check. He was feeling the rush of endorphins through his body.

"Hmm, I could get used to hearing you call me that," she teased. "But what, then, do I call you, brave sir knight?" she asked with a silly accent. Apparently, her giddiness wasn't gone after all.

"I'm your sword," he said with a smirk. He turned to face her and threw an arm over her waist, cuddling her. "I'll always be your Espada, Orihime."

She tried to suppress a smile. Despite the connotation, she still found what he was saying somehow endearing. She did he best to level a deadpan single eyebrow raise and said, "Well, you certainly did _impale _me. And besides, I bet you say that to all the Aizens and princesses, don't you?" she snarked, following it up with an immature laugh.

"You know..." he said but then shook his head. He wanted to laugh. "People say I'm perverted but you just made a completely childish joke. I'll impale you again and again before morning."

She grinned widely and laughed. "Well, I don't mind if you do, but I'm going to need a break after that or I'll lose consciousness. Nobody ever told me it was _that _good!" she cheered, still laughing.

"Hey, uh, Woman..." Ulquiorra was hesitant to even say anything. He set caution on fire and threw it off of a mountain. It didn't seem right to ask if she was on kind of pill or anything. Instead, he grinned, "I-I lo-I need you too."

"I love you too, Espada," she said, dropping her head into his chest and taking a deep sniff of his soap mixed with sweat. If possible it smelled even better. She was suddenly exhausted. "Um, we're going to have to stop by a drugstore tomorrow though," she murmured.

He raised an eyebrow at that. "Any reason why?" Ulquiorra asked, feeling like a dumbass for not taking some precautions. "Don't fucking tell me… Orihime, are you on birth control?"

"No. I had no reason to be," she answered, completely unconcerned. "But I assume fatherhood would kind of cramp your style, so a little emergency contraceptive will be in order."

"Fuck." Ulquiorra sat up and looked at her. "It would cramp your style too. You-We-Ugh. The one-" He flopped back on the bed. He couldn't even say what he wanted because the irritation that flooded his brain. "You should have said something… Like put on a condom or hey, pull out. Not let me bury my dick so deep it would take a shovel to get me out."

"Calm down, it's not a big deal. As long as I take it in the first 12 hours it's very effective. But yeah, we should have talked about it… I didn't exactly plan for this to happen, you know. And yeah, I guess a baby would cramp my style but that's not really the point. I don't know proper sex etiquette so, sorry."

Calm down? Calm down? This was serious. She was a model with no family. He was an artist... well, he was a dead soul inside of a fucked up body who moonlighted as human sometimes. They hadn't known each other long… "I know what the point is. You think I'm gonna go out there and chase anything in a skirt. You're wrong woman. I've never fucked anyone without protection." He sighed, knowing he was overreacting. "We'll go with your idea."

She frowned at him. "I never said I thought you would be chasing skirts but thanks for putting that idea in my head. I'm glad I was your first stupid mistake though. Anyway…" she trailed off, kind of having the wind knocked out of her sails.

"Hime… c'mon. I said what I said and I meant it." Ulquiorra murmured to her, laying down beside her again. He didn't like using nicknames but he thought he would try it out. See if it could shift the mood a bit. "I said I was done."

"I know, otherwise I wouldn't be here."


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 11: Strike A Pose**

Orihime woke up first. Ulquiorra was sound asleep, on his side, covered up to his chin with the blanket. She smiled and stretched, waiting a bit to see if he would wake up, but he was out. She got out of bed and walked over to his side, picking up her discarded clothes as she went and quietly swiping a pair of his underwear from the drawer before carefully kissing his head and going downstairs to take a shower.

When she got out of the shower he was still sound asleep, and she had an important errand to run. It had only been about 12 hours, but she thought it wise not to waste time and make haste to the drugstore. She sent Ulquiorra a text:

_\- Going to the drugstore. I'll bring back breakfast. Xoxo_

Ulquiorra woke up about fifteen minutes later. That woman had worn him out but it felt nice. He stretched, still under the blankets and then felt the bed for the body that was supposed to be beside him. His hands felt nothing. Lifting his his head he saw he was the only one in the bed. His heart sank somewhat.

It figured she wasn't there. She was probably still angry about the whole aftermath of their unprotected fucking. The other two times that they had sex he had pulled out, coming on her stomach. She whined about it. Ulquiorra wasn't dumb. He wasn't going to take a chance.

He was in no shape to become a father nor did he want kids. He was too much of an asshole to be responsible for another person. Besides his moods didn't allow for anything that intensive. He should have used a condom.

With a shake of his head, the dark-haired man sat up on the bed and looked around. Orihime's clothes were gone. Maybe she had left. This day was not going as planned. He wanted to wake up beside her, to see that familiar face. It wasn't going to happen. He got out of the bed, and put on a pair of sweatpants. A few moments later, he was at his computer desk, typing a password. His phone was laying beside his keyboard.

He'd forgot to plug it in last night. It was completely dead.

His thoughts had been more on the redhead than anything else. It didn't take much to do that now. Then he went through his morning routine using the bathroom and then making himself a cup of coffee. When he wandered back to his desk, his phone lit up with a notification. Orihime had sent him a message.

_\- I thought we were going together… ? You could have left a note._

She was halfway up the stairs again when she got his message and decided to just wait until she got there to explain. It took another seven minutes to reach his floor, and when she did, she didn't wait to catch her breath to knock, arms laden with two cups of coffee and a bag of yogurt and poached egg sandwiches.

Standing at his sink, he was rinsing the mug he had used out with hot water when he heard the knock. It took a couple of steps and he twisted the knob, opening it. Oh. The woman stood on the other side. "You could have just walked in," Ulquiorra said moving to the side.

"Sorry, it's your place, I didn't think it would be right," she said, setting the bags and coffees on the floor just past the genkan and taking off her shoes.

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. He was relieved that she was back. "Woman, you slept here last night. You can come and go as you please."

She looked up at him with a twinkling smile as she finished untying her shoes. "That's awfully hospitable. How did you sleep? I'll tell you; I'm kinda sore," she said, bending back and forth sideways and arching her spine, making a show of it for his benefit. "My legs almost collapsed on the stairs," she added with a smirk.

"I slept like a rock. That happens when you get fucked as good as I did," Ulquiorra said with a smirk. "Just next time… leave a note."

Her smile sweetened and she approached him and kissed his mouth. "I'm sorry," she murmured, then went to the kitchen to set down the food and the bag from the drugstore. "Um, where do you keep your glasses? I need some water."

Ulquiorra took a deep breath and nodded. He turned around and opened one small cabinet. He got a glass then filled it with water for her. "Next time we're using protection or something. I don't want to but usually, I don't do that kind of thing."

She smiled and nodded as she read the instructions on the back of the medication box and said absently, "I could always just reject it, if worse came to worst. But honestly, I don't know if I would be able to go through with that."

"We don't need that right now. You've got a career. I'm fucked up." Ulquiorra sighed. He had never gone through anything like this and it was frustrating for him. "I wouldn't want you to blame me for shit or regret that decision."

"Right, we will just avoid it. Down the hatch!" she said with a lilt and downed the medicine. After she smiled she looked to him and said, "They said there could be some mild side effects, so if I start turning into an evil dragon, do not be alarmed," with a little chuckle.

His brow furrowed as he watched her. What did she mean avoid it? Avoid what part of it? Did she mean not having sex again? That was unacceptable. "What kind of side effects?" He asked.

"Well I don't know how much you know about women's bodies but basically it might make my next cycle's timing off and may cause changes in the levels of bleeding. More or less. There's a small chance of more serious side effects but I was assured it was extremely rare."

"I know nothing about a woman's body. I don't even know much about my own body." Ulquiorra shook his head.

"Oh honey," she said with a pitying look. "We're going to have to fix that. And for someone who doesn't know much about it, you sure know how to enjoy it."

He gave her a smirk. "Are you complaining?"

"Hardly," she said, looking down at her hands and blushing, her eyelashes fluttering up to check his expression and then going back.

Ulquiorra was surprised at the flash of desire that went through him. This was a new sensation for him. He had to distract himself or else he'd end up fucking her on the floor. "You said something about breakfast?"

"Oh yeah, I got some egg sandwich things from the cafe around the corner. They smell good. You hungry?"

He nodded. "Woman, can I ask a question?"

"Sure."

"Why did you let me do that to you last night?

She blushed again. She looked down again. "There are a lot of reasons." Her blush intensified. She was bashful.

"Thank you," Ulquiorra said. He was feeling emotional and saying that to her felt like he had revealed too much.

His choice of words tugged at her heart. Did he feel unworthy? Her eyes shot up to him and saw that he was struggling with something. "Why are you thanking me?" she asked gently, the urge to hold him becoming nearly unbearable.

He shrugged. "You thanked me last night. I didn't deserve it."

She sighed and approached him, wrapping her arms around his waist and looking up to his face. "I don't know what you're thinking, but it's wrong, I can assure you. First, I thanked you because you made my first time feel good. Most women can't say the same. Also sorry for the blood," she stopped to make an embarrassed face, twisting her mouth to the side. "Anyway, I also thanked you because…" she blushed for the third time that morning, "Because of 'brand loyalty'."

His face and ears colored. Oh. She hadn't just been thanking him for the sex. "It'll come out when I wash them. Or my housekeeper will see them and get it out. Don't worry about it."

"Ew! No! I'll wash them today!" she nearly shouted, pulling away and making her way back to the ladder. There was no way she was letting some stranger see that, nor was she going to let him sleep on it for god knows how long.

He laughed and followed her. He didn't see the point in washing them when they were probably going to get dirty again. Ulquiorra watched her as she climbed the rungs and disappeared into the loft. "We could get them even messier," he said loudly.

She head reappeared and she looked down at him from over the sidewall. Her blank face revealed nothing, just regarded him for a long moment, then she responded, "Put those egg things in the fridge then."

He grinned and went to do as she demanded. His shortened head of hair appeared at the top of the loft a minute later.

* * *

Ulquiorra gave a content sigh. He was happy, well as happy as he could be with this messed up human brain. Whatever. He could be a happy artist, couldn't he? He didn't need to mope or brood to be credible. Right?

He was currently staring at a new version of Midori No Ai. The current version did not show Orihime's ass and had that green sheet draped over the front of her body. It just bared her back and the curve of her breasts. He even got the shape of her nose right this time. It helped that he had stared at her face for hours on end. He'd used the photographs and the photos on his phone to sketch out the second painting. This one would be kept light instead of having a dark background.

It was around 2:30 am and he was still painting. He'd woken up from a dead sleep and decided that he needed to do this and it needed to be done now. Ulquiorra had left Orihime in his bed naked and asleep, climbing down the ladder quietly. He hated when these bursts of creativity came. He always followed them instead of brushing them to the side.

Swirls of color, dots, and dabs of paint; angry brushstrokes that darkened the canvas with images that lived in his mind. It was how he got his more abstract pieces of art. Those sold faster than his Hueco Mundo pieces. The first thing people asked was how much the ones of the woman cost.

He could see the attraction; her appeal. It was addicting as any drug. He constantly wanted to be in her presence. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to hear her. Ulquiorra craved to touch her. Most of all he needed her. He liked having Orihime around. She was a bright spot in his day. If he was down or was moping, she'd do something silly or tell a joke and it would all be okay.

They had carried on this thing that they had for several weeks. He was constantly telling her to come over after she was done with whatever commitment she had dedicated herself to that day. Most of the time she was with Markus. A lot of the time, she was with that Quincy.

Ulquiorra had seen how desperately she tried to fit in with those people. She stood out like a sore thumb. They were tall. Orihime was tiny. They were twigs posing as humans. The woman had curves in all the right places. He only got to see the model and social part of her life because she would drag him out of the apartment. It was always the same thing… Markus will be there. It will be good for your image.

What image needed nurturing? All the art critiques thought he was a freak and a loner. Another sigh left him.

He wasn't a freak. Those humans didn't understand him. How could he be a normal human when he didn't remember being one? All he remembered was his life in Hueco Mundo as a Hollow. The only person who seemed to understand him was that woman. The one he had kidnapped years ago. The one he had threatened.

She said she loved him and she was falling for him. Ulquiorra had to wonder why she even gave him a second thought. He'd been nothing. He was nothing. He was just some dumb male who made pretty and disturbing images for a living. Orihime could find someone better than him. She had told him he was being insecure. She had asked him what he was so afraid of.

Ulquiorra couldn't answer her. He didn't even know the answer.

So, he waffled about the subject and dodged her questions. Once or twice he had closed himself off from her. Ulquiorra could see how much that hurt her. Sometimes it couldn't be helped. When the ideas stopped coming, the "emo" side of him came out… At least that's what that stupid blond fashion designer called it.

Ulquiorra called it a vicious cycle. He was constantly giving into the ideas that he had, letting them take charge and sometimes the barrel was dry, leaving him to sit and think about how he could tempt the mistress of creativity back into his fingers.

His current muse had to work and go to school. She had to sleep. She had social obligations to attend because if she became a shut-in like him, Orihime would lose her place in the design world. She probably thought he was a needy loser at times with how he would cling to her desperately before she left for a function or a photoshoot.

"If you just agreed to being a model for Markus, you could come with me." Her voice would sing-song those words, tempting him for a moment.

The dark-haired man never gave the designer a solid, concrete answer about the test shots. He managed to avoid those conversations like the plague but he knew one of these days, he wouldn't be so lucky.

Almost an hour later, Ulquiorra put his brush down after cleaning it off. Studying the painting, he knew it was going to be sought after. This piece had the same careful and crafted composition as The Woman and the Moon. He'd poured devotion into that painting and he practically had people snapping at his heels for it.

He climbed up to the loft and slowly got back into bed, cuddling with Orihime, while she slept.

Orihime, as always on mornings like this, hummed and snuggled into his embrace, feeling completely safe and peaceful. If she only knew what he was thinking, she might have been more cautious. But ignorance is bliss. And for Orihime, this was bliss.

She woke up in earnest about an hour later. Ulquiorra had wrapped himself into the blanket like a burrito again. She giggled and kissed his temple. He was dead to the world. She was due at Markus' studio in a little over an hour so she went down the ladder and hopped in the shower.

It was a lot easier to get ready at his place these days; he had insisted that she make herself at home and she had slowly been migrating much of her everyday essentials over to his place. She hadn't slept in her own bed for eleven days now.

Standing under the soothing stream of hot water, Orihime's mind wandered to the future. What would hers look like with Ulquiorra? As far as she was concerned, it was a foregone conclusion that they would always be together. He would always brush it off when she said it, but she was completely in love with and devoted to him. She enjoyed how he would always ask for one more kiss before parting and how he would send her texts all day when they were separated. The only thing she would change about him was his tendency to doubt her. It made her sad.

She had bought a white board for his place and put it on a shelf near the genkan so she could leave notes for him on mornings like this. Today she wrote: "At Markus'. Wanna have lunch? Let me know. Love you."

She drew a little heart with a smiley face beside the message.

She got to Markus' a minute late. Uryu was standing at the reception desk, absolutely livid.

"What the hell, Hime. Not only do you never sleep at home, but now you're coming in to work late? Where have you been?"

"You know where I've been, Quin. Like you, I've been staying at my boyfriend's."

"Oh, he's your boyfriend now? The Espada? Are you serious?"

She glared at him. "Deadly serious, Quin. Back. Off."

The Quincy narrowed his eyes at her. "You're lucky Markus loves him," he paused to sigh. "And somehow, he's good for your image. You have got to do me a favor though and get him to agree to do the shoot. The way Markus talks about it, it's like he thinks it's a done deal,"

"I'll talk to him again, but I can't promise anything."

"Really? Orihime, I've seen you naked. We've… you know. If you don't have him wrapped around your little finger, then there's something wrong. Does he know he's your boyfriend?"

"Duh, Earth to Quin, of course, he does."

Uryu rolled his eyes and began walking back to the studio space. "Whatever. Earth to Boo, once a fuckboy, always a fuckboy."

Orihime suppressed an urge to argue. It would just be fruitless. Still, a tiny seed of doubt was planted in her mind. When Ulquiorra didn't text her around lunch, that seed began to sprout. Yes, he was endearingly clingy and said he loved her. On the other hand, he had never defined their relationship. She referred to him as her boyfriend but she didn't know if he spoke of her at all, and if he did, what would he call her? Did he talk about her to the neighbors or to his agent? He didn't have a very large social circle, and since they had gotten together, he rarely went out with anyone else. At least not that she knew of.

When he got up it was after one in the afternoon. Ulquiorra was toying with the idea of visiting Orihime while she was working but never did. He didn't want to seem like the clingy or obsessive type of guy. He knew he came off that way though. He knew Orihime smiled and laughed when he did it but it seemed super lame. He also didn't want to run into the designer. He didn't want to have to tell him no. When he got downstairs. He did his wake up routine.

Ulquiorra shuffled into the kitchen, wanting coffee but saw her note first. It had him scrambling for the phone on his computer desk. He fumbled and almost dropped the device but quickly caught it before it hit the floor. He texted the woman.

_\- Sorry. Just woke up. I probably missed your lunch, didn't I? _

She saw her phone's screen light up where it sat on the make-up counter and grabbed it, smiling at his message. She replied,

_-No worries. Next time is fine. Did you sleep well?_

The green-eyed man frowned at his screen. Could he tell her what was going on? He'd noticed over the days that had gone by that Orihime studied him a lot. He needed to trust her and confide in her, otherwise, this was just two people having sex with each other and enjoying the other's company.

_\- Slept fine, like a rock. We need to minimize fucking into the early hours of the morning tho. I did get up to paint last night. Couldnt sleep._

He bit his lip then sent another text.

_\- Was thinking of coming by there? Can I?_

Her eyes lit up at his second text.

_-definitely! You're always welcome by Markus and I would LOVE TO SEE YOU!_

She grinned to herself as she pressed send. Then she considered the previous one. She texted him again.

_-No promises on curbing the sex though. There's only so much resistance I am capable of, lol._

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. He didn't give a damn about the blond designer. He could get eaten by a hollow for all he cared. That wasn't a very nice thought. It was how he felt. He was constantly feeling like people were trying to shove him in different directions and he needed room to breathe. He wanted to push these people away.

All the people that Orihime dealt with were like leeches! Anger rolled over his brain.

_\- Don't care about Markus. Want to see you._

She knit her brows. Every time Markus had come up in conversation lately, Ulquiorra had been increasingly surly about it; even when it had nothing to do with him. Biting her lip, she replied.

_-if you don't want to see Markus that's ok. I can meet you later. I should be done here in a few hours._

Hours? He didn't want to wait hours! Ulquiorra climbed the ladder again and quickly got dressed. He would have to deal with this situation sooner or later.

_\- Ok._

That's all the text said. In a few minutes, he was out the door and going down flights of stairs. He'd show up at Markus' place and surprise her.

Orihime sighed at his text. She hoped he wasn't upset with her; it was often difficult to tell. He wasn't very effusive about his less-than-amorous feelings. Her makeup was finished, she was told, and she glanced into the mirror with a bored expression, taking in the dark gray eyeshadow that extended from lash line to brow line and the harsh magenta blush on her cheeks. She looked like a gutter clown. Oh well.

Markus' assistant brought her to a costuming area and talked to another assistant about which garments would be test photographed today. There were four, and the first was a long, slightly baggy dress made out of a dark gray, metallic crepe silk. Honestly, Orihime thought it was kind of ugly. Still, the fabric laid over her curves like poured mercury. It was only the part below her hips that hung like a trash bag. After she was dressed, she stood around waiting for almost 20 minutes for some student photographer to adjust lights. She checked her phone as she waited. Nothing new from her unofficial boyfriend.

It didn't take long for Ulquiorra to navigate his way to Markus' space. He let himself in and saw the bored looking receptionist, sitting behind a desk. Everyone that worked with or for Markus had that same apathetic look.

"Can I help you?" the tone came out bitchy. "Mister Markus isn't accepting-"

"I'm C. Murcielago. I'm sure that Markus will see me." Ulquiorra scowled at the woman before she scampered off. When she came back she ushered Ulquiorra through a different door.

He found himself amidst a dozen people going back and forth. He saw the blond designer talking to someone. He took a quick look around for Orihime. She was short so it was probably a futile attempt to try and find her in this gaggle of people. He was just about to walk across the huge room when he felt something tug at his sleeve.

"You came!" an excited female whisper came from behind him.

Ulquiorra turned around to see a woman smiling at him… He looked at her up and down, raising an eyebrow. Red hair and dark eyes with a smile that could light up the world… His world. "Woman what have they done to you? Of course, I came."

He finally looked beyond the horrendous makeup and down at her body. "Fuck," he muttered.

"I know, don't say anything but this whole look is just subpar. And that's me being nice," she whispered to him, pulling back and shaking her head. "Hopefully I'll be out of this one sooner than later."

The top half clung to Orihime like a wetsuit to skin. It looked damn sexy on her… However, the skirt was trash and he would tell the designer that. It did nothing to flatter his woman. "It's an interesting getup. I'm hoping you'll be out of it sooner than later too." Ulquiorra gave her a smirk. "I'm sorry I slept in too long."

She beamed at him. "Don't worry about it; you were working late, right? You need your beauty sleep. I can't be seen slumming it with someone who looks like death warmed over, you know," she teased.

He looked around before putting an arm around her and grabbing her ass through the dress. Not that he cared who saw them, it was more for her benefit than anything. He wanted to appear modest. "I woke up last night… I had a dream-nightmare… It woke me up."

"Aw, I'm sorry, sweetheart," she said, trying to be smooth with trying out the endearment, rubbing his arm and continuing before he had a long lull to protest. "Want to talk about it? They're going to be screwing around with the lights for the foreseeable future."

"Only if we can talk somewhere private and I can..." Ulquiorra trailed off and grinned at her. "But seriously, I'm fine. I've been having the same dream for years. I just wake up and paint."

"Do you want to talk, and I mean _talk_, in the other room?" The redhead asked in a concerned tone.

"Do you think Markus would let us use his office?" Ulquiorra asked. He quirked an eyebrow at her then dropped the charming man gig. "Nah, Orihime, I've been dealing with it for the past four years. It's the same dream over and over. Only it's not a dream because it happened."

Ulquiorra shook his head. "The dome," he said to her.

She wrapped both arms around his elbow and hugged it. "Me too."

"I also came here today to tell Markus my decision," Ulquiorra stated. "It's about time I said-"

"Cif— Murcielago, we've been waiting for forever to hear back from you. Markus will be so pleased. Today is just test shots—" Uryu was cut off by another voice.

"Ah! At long last, my dear Murcielago has come back to roost! Oh, glorious day!" Markus nearly sang as he glided through the space. "Oh, and don't you look well together with our little Booboo Bear, doesn't he Uryu? The chemistry is electric. I want to photograph you together now. You're perfect as is. Come on into the studio with me! This will be magic!"

"Wait a minute!" Ulquiorra said. His voice had become rather loud. "I never said I was here to do them. I came here because of Orihime."

Markus looked at the dark-haired man with a befuddled expression. "Isn't that the same thing? She is fine on her own, but she comes to life when she's paired with you. Without Murcielago, sorry Boo, but you're just a hot club girl with a banging' bod' that doesn't model _that _well."

"You do not know anything about _my_ woman. My girlfriend is not the hot club girl that you all think she is. She's smart, kind, and a hell of a lot more attractive than these half-wits you call models!" Ulquiorra seethed. The designer had managed to slam down all the buttons the would irritate him. "Fine. Photograph us."

Orihime was breathless at his outburst and clung to his arm. What Markus had said hurt, although she'd never show it. Emotional weakness easily translated into being "difficult to work with" and could get you blacklisted in this industry, especially as a woman. She waited until Markus had turned around before she looked up at Ulquiorra with watery eyes and expressed her thanks quietly, squeezing his arm.

He didn't like becoming irritated because he acted like a hot headed human, spouting whatever came to mind. He had told his neighbors that he had a woman. The Novelist had asked about Orihime's well-being but Ulquiorra had told him that it wasn't his concern. He didn't want anyone to disrespect this woman. She had gone through too much to be insulted. He had endured too much to allow anyone to say anything rude about her. Ulquiorra gave her a side-eyed glance and then nodded. "It's okay," he murmured to her.

Uryu positioned the couple in the middle of the photo studio. These were meant to be test shots only, so they only stood in front of a plain white backdrop. Markus was going to be doing his own photography direction today, and Uryu was acting basically as his gofer.

"Alright, I'm gonna need you to stand really close. Yeah, that's great Boo," Markus said to Orihime as she pressed her front into Ulquiorra's with her palms lying on his chest. Markus indicated to the photographer to start and the sound of a high-speed shutter could be heard.

"Great, now turn around Boo, perfect. Look at me like you hate cheese and just smelled it. Great! Now tilt your head back toward lover boy for a second. Yep. Murcielago, put your hands on her," Markus ordered.

He'd been standing there with a flat look in his eyes. Ulquiorra looked at Markus balefully before he blinked slowly. His hands came up and fingers curled around Orihime's hips. He did not like this man at all and was only going to do the minimal effort to get through this.

Markus liked where things started but was nowhere near finished. "Ok, now bring one hand up to her throat like you're a vampire or something, spend some time looking into her eyes and then kiss her."

What did this man what him to do? There was no way that he could; not in front of the people milling about in the background. Markus had raised an eyebrow at him as if to say, "She's easily replaceable". The dark-haired man wanted to punch the blond. Could he do this? Ulquiorra bit his lip and glanced down at Orihime, bringing a hand up to her throat. He brushed his thumb down the skin on the front of it.

He could hear the camera shutters going off and Markus squealing like some demented pig in the background. When his eyes locked onto Orihime's, Ulquiorra knew this photo session had the chance to become very not safe for work. The hand that was around her throat came up to her mouth and he brushed his fingers across the lipsticked surface before he brought his lips down on hers.

All he felt when he was around her was hunger. Craving. Desire. It was driving him mad; how much he wanted this woman was insanity.

"Oh, this is fucking fabulous," Markus squawked, "Ok, now bring your hand that's on her hip up to her breast and kind of sink your fingers into the fabric just a little bit, it's going to highlight the texture perfectly!"

Ulquiorra wasn't listening but his hands did as they were told. He felt the shiver go through Orihime's body as he pushed his tongue into her mouth. The hand that was on her breast was trying to worm it's way under the fabric. All Ulquiorra could feel was the heat of her skin. She had absolutely nothing in the way of a bra on under this dress. He vaguely wondered if this was one of those no panty dresses.

Markus looked at Uryu and raised an eyebrow in a silent challenge, then said, "Ok Spunk, go break it up. Boo has to change."

Uryu groaned and stomped toward the kissing couple, warning as he walked, "Ok, stop. Stop, stop. Hime has to change." When he reached them, Ulquiorra spared him a look with one eye and then ignored him. Uryu tried to appeal to Orihime as a roommate, grabbing her by the elbow and tugging.

Orihime pulled her mouth away in response and hissed, "What do you want, Quin!?"

Uryu sneered at her. "Costume change," is all he said before trying to drag her to the side.

One moment she was in his arms and the next, Orihime was gone, being dragged by that Quincy. He made a move to go after her but one of Markus' assistants blocked him. Ulquiorra scowled, wanting to push everyone out of his way. He leveled a glare at the fashion designer as he waited for Orihime to get back to him.

"Don't worry honey, you are perfection," Markus cooed to Ulquiorra. "Now for this next garment, Don't be too blown away, Booboo looks drop dead in it. Actually, I know I said no costume for you but your look is just too casual. Would you mind pulling your shirt off? I remember you mentioning tattoos. It would be a great juxtaposition," the designer presented his case.

It didn't take much for Ulquiorra to whip his t-shirt off and drop it at his feet. He threw another nasty look at the blond before turning his body in the direction Orihime had disappeared. "Anything else you want?" Ulquiorra snapped.

"No, this is perfect," Markus snarled in appreciation, looking Ulquiorra over and observing not only the variety of his tattoos but also his impressive build and freshly flushed cheeks. He could not have planned this better if he tried.

The next moment, Orihime reappeared. Her make up had been significantly softened and she was wearing a strapless black ballgown, the same one she had been wearing at a fitting weeks ago when she had been texting Ulquiorra about meeting and sleeping at his place for the first time. Orihime looked stunning as she floated across the room to Ulquiorra.

His mouth dropped open. Green eyes took in every detail. She looked like a princess in that gown. No, she looked like a queen; a perfect match to his Segunda Etapa release. Ulquiorra held his right hand out to her and beckoned for Orihime to come to him.

Orihime approached him, glancing once at Markus, who seemed perfectly content to just let the two lovers do whatever they wanted as long as the camera was running. Orihime looked back to Ulquiorra and took his hand. "Just act natural, but pretend like Boo is a princess and Murcielago is a fearsome creature trying to corrupt her, seduce her. I'll try to get you back on track if it gets out of control but otherwise have fun with it. Uryu, turn on some music, will you?"

Uryu complied, turning on a deep house mix that he found on Markus' computer.

As soon as she was within his reach, Ulquiorra grabbed Orihime and pulled her to him. He tried not to rudely snort as Markus described what they were supposed to be doing. Little did the man know that had happened once in their lives already. He looked down at her with burning green eyes, wondering what the woman thought of all of this. She was looking at his chest. What was wrong? "Woman, are you afraid?" he whispered to her, knowing that her answer would be the same as the last two times he had asked.

She was never afraid. She had never been afraid of him, even as a hideous monster with horns, a tail and taloned feet. Orihime never showed fear in front of him.

He didn't care if there was music. Ulquiorra didn't care if other people were watching. He put a hand under her chin and tilted her face up, looking into her midnight eyes before kissing her again.


	12. Chapter 12

_WARNING: MATURE CONTENT_

**CHAPTER 12: Futures**

Ulquiorra had a hard time waiting before he had Orihime pressed against the wall of the stairwell up to his apartment. His hand was on her neck. Fingers grazed her chest, and one of his thighs went between her legs. He could hear her whimper. He had done this every few floors, randomly and unexpectedly groping her from behind; turning her around to kiss her or in this case, he was touching everywhere he could. They had several floors to go before they reached his loft. This was only the ninth floor, and by the time they would make it to level twelve, one of them was going to crack under pressure.

Markus had been a clever orchestrator in what caused this behavior to surface. The fashion designer had all but let him have sex with the woman before the Quincy had called for another wardrobe change. It had left Ulquiorra feeling frustrated.

Ulquiorra wasn't the only one. His reaction to her in the black gown and Markus' subsequent direction had kind of brought a vague fantasy to life. Orihime didn't care if anyone caught them here in the stairwell. Her mind was back on that dome in Hueco Mundo, only this time there was no Quincy or Shinigami to get in the way.

He pulled away from her, gazing down at Orihime, hands still touching her; teasing her. He was almost tempted to push her skirt up and unfasten his jeans, but he didn't. He wouldn't. Ulquiorra never had sex in public before. He had always brought his conquests to somewhere private. Tonight Orihime would be a conquest for him. He was so on edge that he had to back away from her further because that idea of fucking her there was a bit too ideal for him.

Orihime was not pleased with the space he had put between them. She narrowed her eyes and grabbed for the collar of his t-shirt, trying to pull him back to her. She wanted nothing better than to be pinned to that wall. She had no idea what was in store for her.

When her hand grazed his neck, Ulquiorra took whatever common sense he had and buried it, forgetting it. It didn't take much for him to pick her up, letting the wall support most of her weight. This wasn't something new either. He had fucked her against a wall in his apartment. His hands shoved the clothes up her legs so he could get access to where he wanted to be. Heat radiated off her. He could feel it.

She was once again soaked, and Ulquiorra had to chuckle as he pulled her underwear to the side, slipping one finger then another inside of her. Orihime's gasp was satisfying.

Her insides gripped him, unwilling to let go of the intrusion. Orihime grasped the back of Ulquiorra's neck with both hands and whispered into his ear, "Take me. Claim me. Make me yours." They were pretty words. Words from a dream she had had on and off for the past six years.

His brain function went to minimal power. That's what her words did to him. No blood could be left in his head or other extremities because it seemed like every drop had pooled in between his hips. Ulquiorra took no time at all, undoing the fastening of his jeans before he shoved his cock roughly inside of her. He took a minute, letting the initial pleasure wash over him, shifting his hips to maintain those shocks. When he calmed down enough, Ulquiorra moved his lower body until his dick was no longer inside of Orihime. Then he thrust into her again.

She groaned. It was not a soft, demure kind of thing. It was a long, drawn-out, obscene vocalization. She repeated it as he thrust into her again, panting into Ulquiorra's ear as he pulled out slowly. Between pants, she muttered words that were seemingly streaming of consciousness, like Orihime wasn't really there with him in the stairwell, but somewhere else. She purred his name and whispered soft demands to fuck her. At one point she closed her lips around his earlobe only to pull back slowly and swear her allegiance to "my Espada".

He wasn't being gentle. Every time he slid inside of his girlfriend, Ulquiorra made sure his hips snapped against her. He heard every word she said; every moan; every noise. He wanted more even as she bit him. The dark-haired man wasn't into pain, but during sex, it was heady and intoxicating. "I am _your _Espada. You are going to obey every word I say, aren't you, Woman?"

"Yes," she hissed.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do this to you," Ulquiorra rasped against her neck before returning the bite. His breathing was becoming labored. "I wanted to do this to you while you were in Aizen's possession. I wanted to take you away from the fifth tower, to my quarters and keep you from that asshole. You are mine, Woman."

"I _am_ yours. My body and soul exist for your purposes."

Ulquiorra growled. She seemed to know how to flip the switches he had to turn him on more. He angled his hips just so, knowing she could feel every inch as it slid against that wet skin. He made sure of it. "Can you imagine yourself being in that room in Los Noches, being fucked by me underneath that window?" He asked, whispering the question to her.

"I would lie on that sofa and spread my legs for you. I did it in my dreams," Orihime whispered back breathlessly.

His green eyes widened, and Ulquiorra pulled back to look at her. The intensity of his gaze did not lessen; he still had the same covetous yearning for her. Ulquiorra experienced all of the seven deadly sins for this woman. There was a reason why the Espada went to hell. Those glorified Hollows went to hell because they only knew those sins. He had evolved and went past those feelings.

He moaned loudly, before kissing her, letting his lips pry her mouth open. If he didn't control himself, this was going to be over before he knew it.

She surrendered to him entirely, making way for his tongue to enter her mouth, stealing his breath, and holding herself on his shoulders as if they were glued on. Her core wept, staining the front of his jeans, and began to pulse around him. She couldn't hold back, whimpering into his mouth, tears rolling down her cheeks, as she came hard.

Ulquiorra didn't hold back. He was too far gone before he realized what was happening. He knew exactly what he was doing. He broke the kiss and stared at her. With one final slam inside of her, he buried himself deep, not holding back his orgasm. He shuddered through it, feeling his body twitch.

Orihime's aftershocks were intense and initially shortly spaced, and she had to keep gasping for breath each time one hit. She used her legs to hold herself up, her inner thighs squeezing against her boyfriend's hips as his own strength started to wane. She had to bite her lip to stop herself from choking out ragged sobs as her sex seemed to take everything he gave her like a starved mouth.

Once their bodies stopped involuntarily moving, Ulquiorra huffed out a breath, extracting himself from the woman, then lowered Orihime back to the floor. He saw when her feet hit the concrete surface. After she was steady, he turned away, so that he could put his cock back into his jeans. When he was done, he looked at her, studying her. Did she realize that he believed every word she said to him? "Woman," he said as she made herself decent.

"Hmmm?" she asked dreamily. Her mind was not exactly in working order yet.

The former Hollow came to the realization that his girlfriend might have had fantasies about him as an Espada. From the look on her face, she seemed to be in a blissful state of mind. Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow as she smiled at him. "You liked that, didn't you?"

She nodded at him with only partially opened eyes. "Mmhmm," she said with a small, dopey smile. "Did you like it?" she mumbled the question.

"Do I need to carry you up the stairs? You look like you're about to fall over," Ulquiorra said then nodded. "I enjoyed that a bit too much, I think."

She let loose a little cackle. "I think we both did; I can't feel my legs!" She gave him a slightly embarrassed smile and giggled silently.

That made him roll his eyes. "Come, Woman and not like that… Well maybe in a bit. You're correct though. I don't think my legs could support both of us at the moment."

Her wits were slowly returning to her as she shimmied her skirt back into place and started up the stairs. "You mean my powerful Espada can't even carry me up to his tower? Tsk tsk," she teased, scurrying higher up the stairs away from him in case he decided to retaliate for her sass.

Shaking his head, he followed her up until they got to the top floor. Ulquiorra unlocked his door and went inside; he knew Orihime would follow him. He was about to step into the kitchen when he remembered his shoes. She was constantly saying the word shoes to him. He bent down and untied them, throwing them onto the floor once they were free of his feet. Then he walked into the studio part of his apartment and flopped down into his computer chair, staring at her.

She walked into the space and stared right back. "What are you thinking?" she asked. She rarely asked such questions, but Ulquiorra had a peculiar look on his face; she had no way to comprehend it without asking.

"It's nothing. Just-" he stopped his voice from even saying anything, running his fingers through his hair. He'd done it again. He'd been stupid and reckless again, but Ulquiorra was still riding the high from the pleasure that his girlfriend's body gave him. He didn't want to start a fight. "Are you going to the drugstore in the morning or am I?"

She reached a hand behind her neck and gave him an embarrassed smile. They both should have known better, but in the heat of the moment, and even still now, remembering how hot it had been, she didn't regret it. "I'll go," she answered. "I'm still a relative nobody. It wouldn't do to have C. Murcielago seen running to Tsuruha to get Plan B."

He scoffed. "Fuck what others say. So what if I'm seen buying it. Do you think I care about what people say about me?"

"Not in theory, no, but in practice, it might be a hassle if you get gossip rag journalists following you around. I mean I know an artist's trysts aren't as front-page worthy as say, the Prime Minister's or some A-list actor, but it would still be a nuisance, don't you think?"

"Isn't there something… I could have something done to me to render me useless." Ulquiorra looked at his hands when he said this. He really didn't want to see Orihime's face.

It's a good thing he didn't see it, too. Orihime looked absolutely horrified. "What? No! Ulquiorra, you're much too young to make a decision like that. What if you want to have children someday?"

His eyes opened and closed several times. His head tilted up and those vivid green eyes of his narrowed in on the redhead. "Why would I want to have more of me running around? Did you-Were you-Woman, there is no one out there in the world who would put up with me-I'm not procreating. One of me is enough."

Her cheeks colored but she didn't say anything. Her eyes squinted the same way someone's did when they looked into a bright light. A beat later she nodded and muttered, "I better take a shower and get out of these clothes, I won't be long," and walked to the bathroom.

It was the same thing, over and over. He constantly said something to make her unhappy. They were mostly off-handed comments, but each time he made a remark, he seemed to cut her verbally. He could sit in that chair and brood, but Ulquiorra didn't think this was a good choice. He got out of the office chair and walked over to the bathroom door, knocking on it. "Orihime, I upset you. You know how I am."

"No, I'm not upset," she said through the door. Her tone was surprisingly convincing. She was practiced at hiding her feelings. "Don't worry about it."

"I'm going to worry about it. You've been thinking about stuff haven't you?"

"I always think about stuff. What are you talking about?" she acted obtuse on purpose in an effort to stop him from thinking about this. There were just some things that the former Espada would not be able to understand about her, and she was going to have to learn how to deal with that if she wanted this relationship to continue. And she did. Orihime wanted it more than she wanted success in her career, she realized with a silent sigh, disappointed at herself for once again getting so caught up in a guy that her universe literally revolved around him. She was hopeless. There was no way she would change her feelings.

"I'm talking about the future." Ulquiorra sighed. "Come out here and talk to me. I can read your face better than I can read your voice."

She considered refusing him. It would be easier, and it was her first instinct, but when she heard the tender tone of his voice, she cracked. She had already taken her clothes off, so she put on the bathrobe that hung behind the door and opened it.

He was standing right there. Ulquiorra looked down at her. Her face may have looked calm, but her eyes told a whole different story. "Tell me," he said. "You've considered a future with me, haven't you?"

She gave him a confused look for a moment. "Of course I have. Haven't you?"

"I've considered the pros and cons of it," he replied. "I just assumed you would satisfy your curiosity and then move on. I don't know what this brain is going to do next nor do I know what this body is going to do. I don't have the same restraint I had as an Espada."

Orihime pressed her fingertips to her temples and closed her eyes, breathing slowly through her nostrils, trying to not react emotionally to what he had just said. How could he fucking say something like that to her now? Jesus Christ, had he no faith in her at all? No faith in himself? She was extremely disappointed and trying very hard not to take it personally. She dropped one of her hands and the other came up to press the bridge of her nose, squinting her eyes closed. Very, very carefully she responded, "I am not _curious _about you, Ulquiorra. I am in love with you. The sincere, bottom of my heart, I-want-to-be-with-you-forever in love with you. What you do or how you feel is up to you. There's nothing I can do about it, but don't try to use me and my feelings as an excuse, okay?" She kept her eyes closed. She knew that despite not becoming hysterical, there was no way he wouldn't take what she said and not freak out about it.

How could he be using her as an excuse? An excuse for what? He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do. Ulquiorra felt lost. He'd been adrift in this human world and desperately trying to tread water just to stay afloat. Orihime came along and helped him swim to shore so to speak. He knew that if he called or texted she would respond; if he wanted her, she would be right there for him. He bit his lip then leaned down, quickly pecking her on the mouth. "Thank you, Woman. I'm going up to change my clothes. If you want to join me after your bath, please feel free to do so." His words were quiet.

She nodded and smiled but didn't look at him as she closed the bathroom door. The sting of what he had said was still ricocheting through her body. She turned on the water to as hot as she could tolerate and got into the shower, hoping to wash away these feelings. When it didn't work, she cried. That helped. When she felt like she could face him again, she turned the tap off and toweled off. She didn't have anything to wear so she just wore the towel up to his room.

Once upstairs she went to his drawer and borrowed a t-shirt, pulling it on and finally looking over to the bed. When she saw his face, she realized she couldn't do this. She couldn't continue this weird control thing she was doing to her own heart. She pulled the trigger. "Ulquiorra, do you want a future with me?"

Shrugging would probably be a bad idea, he thought. He didn't know if he could answer her. There was no one barking orders at him to determine his path in this life. As an Espada, he always had Aizen directing him. He sighed. Ulquiorra dwelled too much on his former life; too much on his glory days as a Hollow. "I need to ask you what your intentions are first," he mumbled, hoping she could understand why he needed this answer.

Ulquiorra remembered his early days as a human. He had read all the papers that Urahara had given him over and over. There was nothing in the information about contact with other humans. He saw other humans every day, interacting with each other. It was a verbal greeting or a quick touch. He had no clue what to call all of it.

Returning to Karakura to search for the woman had not been successful. He couldn't detect anything out of the ordinary. He was just an average human. It figured he had been so powerful in his previous life that he was mundane now. He was still nothing.

There had been a young blonde woman in the drug den where he rented a room. She was trying to make it big as a dancer. Ulquiorra had thought it was strange that the woman would be living in such squalor but they hit it off and began to hang out. He entered a relationship of sorts with the woman. They had gone to a party in the building. Drinks flowed. The music was loud. Drugs had been used rampantly. When he woke up the next morning, he wasn't lying beside the blonde. Two redheaded women were draped over him.

The woman he had been dating was standing at the foot of the futon, crying.

It had been Ulquiorra's fault. He did the drugs. He drank the alcohol. His stupid human body was to blame for what happened. He debated heavily with himself about even revealing this information to Orihime. He didn't want her to look down on him for it. He already felt like she judged him for how he came into this world. That was the incident that pushed him to get out of Kabukicho… If he wasn't around people who dragged him down he wouldn't do degrading things with his life and to others. It was kind of like how he tried to stay away from the "bad" Espada. Nnoitra, Grimmjow, Yammy, Aaroniero and Szayel Aporro… They all had a bloodlust that Ulquiorra never experienced until Orihime came to Los Noches.

Ulquiorra looked at her and asked again, "What are your intentions?"

She frowned. "I just told you." What was there not to understand? She loved him and wanted to be together. It was simple.

"Okay, but what does this being forever in love thing include?" He knew the question was insensitive but he had his reasons. "I need to know."

"I don't know, Ulquiorra. I mean, I'm not psychic. It could mean living the high life until we're like 40 and dying in a freak airplane accident. It could mean growing old and gray together. It could mean what we want it to mean."

That was too vague for him. He didn't have that lightning-fast ability to assess situations anymore. "I do not..." He paused for a moment to observe her. Ulquiorra could already see she was assuming things and that he was probably going to break her heart. "When I first came to as a human I tried to refrain from maintaining contact with anyone. I met someone. I was given a loose set of rules about what I was doing and I ended up hurting her. I do not want to hurt you, Woman."

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks. I thought I was your 'queen' or whatever, and you're comparing me to some chick you had back in the day and broke up with. Doesn't exactly instill confidence. Did you love her? Do you want to be with her? Do you regret it? Why are you bringing this up?" All the negative emotions she had been trying to control, not just with Ulquiorra, were bubbling to the surface now.

"I see, you don't understand. I knew you would react badly if I tried explaining things," Ulquiorra turned from Orihime and walked over to the ladder. "You are _my_ queen. I have never compared you to anyone else; there's no one who could come close to you, Woman. I did something stupid when "dating" this other woman. I used drugs and I drank. It led me to cheat on her. I was given a vague description of what was going on between us. And to answer your other questions, no, I only want to be with you."

"So you are saying you need me to specify the exact nature of the kind of relationship I want to have with you because without it you will be unable to determine right from wrong? I am trying really hard to understand your position. I really am. But it sounds to me like you are looking for loopholes. Like, if I don't specifically say, "Hey, Ulquiorra, don't stick your dick in other bitches," you will just assume it's ok? It doesn't make any sense to me." She was trying really hard, _really_ hard, not to fall to pieces and leave. Her heart was telling her to run.

Ulquiorra said nothing as he went down the ladder. Instead of going to his computer chair, he went and sat in the armchair he'd bought. He'd only gotten it for Orihime, so that she would have some place to sit when he was working or she wanted to spend time with him. He'd put it by the windows.

As he looked out them, he saw the same thing. People still out and about, living their lives. They had always been human. He was a baby compared to Orihime. He didn't really understand how things worked. That's what this all came down to. He got up from the chair and climbed his way up the ladder again. He saw Orihime sitting on the bed. "I apologize if I'm not educated on how the world works."

She sighed. She closed her eyes. His tone was sad, and gave her pause. She flopped back on the bed and with her eyes closed, she told him the truth. "I want to live in the same place as you. I want to be monogamous with you. I want to build a life with you based on mutual trust and affection. I don't want anyone to come between us. I don't want our relationship to end. If you have any other more specific questions, please feel free to ask." She blew out a breath and kept her eyes closed. This was clearly going to be more work than she anticipated. It didn't make a difference to her, though. She'd never been afraid of work.

"We're doing all of that already, aren't we?" Ulquiorra's expression was confused. "Why did you get upset when I said I didn't want to procreate? Don't tell me you weren't upset… Your eyes speak louder than your resting bitch face."

She scoffed. "Is that what this is all about?" She took a deep breath and sighed. "Yes, I was upset. I am upset. I always wanted children. That's the truth. It's not something I want at this point in my life though, and who knows? Maybe one day you might change your mind; maybe someday when you settle down you would want one. But to have yourself permanently sterilized is a big deal."

"Yes, that is what this is about. You're a fucking fashion model. You get pregnant and that's career suicide. But, I don't like using those things with you," Ulquiorra said. The condoms dulled everything and he wasn't as into it when they had sex with them. "You don't like when I pull out. You whine about it. So if I'm not going to be sterilized, then what do you propose we should do?"

Orihime sighed. "I've already taken care of it," glancing at him with a guarded expression.

He raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

"I started taking hormonal birth control a couple weeks ago. It won't be 100% effective for a few more weeks, so I didn't mention it. I didn't want to tempt fate."

Ulquiorra nodded. He had read about things like that. He hadn't thought that was an option. "I'm merely looking out for you, Orihime. I love you; you should know that. I do want a future with you but once again, I've not been a human as long as you have. I can't look everything up on the internet."

"I know. I'm sorry. It's hard to always remember. Apart from your eyes, you appear perfectly human. Your spiritual pressure, or lack thereof… it fools me," she sighed. "Come here, please," she said, her hand reaching up toward him.

Without protest he did as she asked, sinking down onto the bed and sitting next to where she lay. "The whole spiritual pressure thing throws me off too."

"We could try… No, I don't know who I'm kidding. I was going to say I could try to reject it back into existence," she laughed. "That doesn't even make any sense."

"Don't you even do any of your witchy stuff on me." Ulquiorra glared at her before his expression softened. "I wouldn't use you like Kurosaki."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Misunderstanding**

Ulquiorra sat at his computer answering emails and such. He hated the whole correspondence thing when it came to being an artist. People were always asking questions or for him to appear at places. His agent even asked him if he wanted to branch out and make his face famous. 

He didn't want to be famous.

The green-eyed man just wanted to be left alone.

That wasn't the truth. Ulquiorra wanted to be left alone with Orihime, with no one else bothering them and no obligations to take her away from him. Ever since their heated discussion, things had been a bit rocky. It was nothing but a bit of a bump in the road, but he was afraid that the redhead would realize what a loser he actually was and leave him.

He didn't know why she wanted a future with him. He really had nothing to offer her.

Orihime had noticed a change in him. He'd become more withdrawn, and his libido was diminished. He didn't flirt with her as he had before. It felt like he was pushing her away. She had tried bringing it up a few times, but he denied it each time.

She was getting busier with work and school. She was actually spending less time with Markus these days and more time at the college studios working on her own designs. As she did, something that Ulquiorra said kept bothering her. When he talked about the downside of having a baby, he always pointed out that she was a model. While it was true, for now, she knew there was no future in it for her. Sure it was fun, and she'd do it while opportunities were offered to her, but her passion was design, not modeling. Ulquiorra seemed to totally ignore that detail even though she pointed it out multiple times. She wondered if part of his attraction to her had to do with her being admired. She worried that as her beauty would inevitably fade, so too would his attraction.

That thought reminded her of another one; one that had plaguing her for over a week since their stairwell rendezvous, and one that she allowed to keep her from _really_ trying to clear the air with him. She would wait until this issue was resolved or at least become a real issue instead of just a potential problem. She didn't want him to panic and run for no reason. She was sure if the worst was true, he would.

More and more nightmares plagued him, They weren't the usual Hueco Mundo ones, where he was standing on the dome dying by Kurosaki's hand. It had been Orihime who cut him down in these dreams. Coupled with the fact that she seemed like she only came to the apartment to sleep, Ulquiorra knew… He knew he had screwed up big time. She tried to talk to him. He couldn't stand it though. The gentle pleading way she voiced her concern or the soft hand she would lay on his arm. She pitied him. He shook his head. It didn't matter. Once she got tired of his moods and his attitude, Orihime would be gone. Ulquiorra was sure of it. He had heard the stories of the other people in the building. Partners, spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends all leaving the creative people because they were too screwed up.

There were flashes of light and distorting images.

Orihime was in her studio on a Thursday when it happened. She stood up too fast and got lightheaded, falling and hitting her head on the corner of her work table. Another student found her confused and bleeding from her head. That student freaked out and called emergency services. Orihime was taken to a hospital and needed one stitch and was otherwise was fine, but the staff insisted she stay overnight for observation.

This was the last thing she needed. She briefly contemplated not telling Ulquiorra. She wondered if he would even care at this point. She was being dramatic. Of course he cared, she thought as she started a message to him.

_-had a spill at school. In hospital. It's no big deal, but they won't let me go til morning._

She had written on the board that she'd be home by a certain hour. The hour came and went, Ulquiorra started to worry. He wanted to try and talk to her. Then his phone said he had a text. A frantic feeling welled in his chest. He knew what a hospital was… his neighbors talked about them all the time. The television dramas he had occasionally witnessed showed them.

_\- WHAT HAPPENED WOMAN? Do I need to come and rescue you?_

Orihime smiled at his message.

_-I'm alright. I fell and hit my head. They are keeping me for observation, but I think it's unnecessary. Anyway, I don't need rescuing but appreciate the offer. I would not mind some company if you aren't too busy..._

More panic bubbled into his brain. She fell. She hurt herself. A deep frown etched onto his face.

_\- I'm answering emails. I can do that on my phone. Tell me where._

She texted him the address and then contemplated telling Uryu, but decided it would just cause more problems.

It took him twenty minutes to reach the hospital by cab. Traffic was insane, and he kept grumbling in the back of the vehicle. He paid the driver and vaulted out of the cab, striding into the hospital. He asked for the room where Orihime was located. He was told. Ulquiorra fidgeted as navigated the hospital corridors. He came upon room 403 and went inside.

She had been staring out the window when he arrived, the bandage at her hairline clearly visible to Ulquiorra from the doorway.

"Woman," he said, Ulquiorra's face falling into one of concern. "What happened? Why did you-are you okay?" It was times like this he wished he still had use of his Sonido because walking was too slow for him. He was over at her bedside in mere seconds.

She turned her head slowly, and on seeing the concern etched on his face, her fears about his feelings for her disappeared, and she gave him a slow, unguarded smile, reaching out to him with both hands.

Ulquiorra had to refrain from falling into her embrace. She was injured. He took both of her hands, intertwining their fingers. "Why did you fall?" he asked before kissing her, letting his mouth barely graze hers.

She smelled him as he kissed her and blushed. She had missed his unreserved affection. "I don't know what happened. I had been sitting for a long time and then got up suddenly and got dizzy and then I fell."

His hand came up and brushed away her hair so that he could see the bandage on Orihime's head. "Have the doctors told you anything? Did you take in nutrients? Water? Could that be the cause of this? I know once you get absorbed into your work, you don't want to stop."

She nodded. He was right, she did have a tendency to do that. "The doctors are running some labs to make sure all my levels are all right, but I haven't heard anything yet. I don't expect to find anything unusual."

That was a relief to hear. "Well let's hope that's the case. I was waiting for you to return home-I mean to my apartment. You said that you would be back. I was beginning to worry you had grown weary of me." Ulquiorra looked down at their hands and then sighed. "Woman, I am worried about us."

Her guts clenched. His words made her feel a lance of pain from her head down to her seat. He was right though, to worry. They had not been communicating well. "Why would you call it that? I mean why wouldn't you call it home for me?" She bit her lip. "Why don't you have any faith in me?" Her eyes began to tear up.

"I don't know if you want it to be home… You hate my apartment. You hate the stairs. You hate that I don't take off my shoes," Ulquiorra stammered. "I do have faith in you, but you seem to have little faith in me. I've told you things about my human past, and you just seem defeated. Remember the first time I told you I had the potential to fuck up? I had told you I was in love with you then."

She sighed. "My home is wherever you are. I adore you. I will not grow weary of you. You refuse to believe that no matter how or how many times I say it."

He had never heard of this word. Adore? What could she possibly mean by that? "Maybe I'm listening to others too much. The other tenants in the building, I've heard of their relationship struggles. I don't want that to be us. I've gone through hell and back for you, Woman."

"Then don't let your fears negate your efforts. I'm yours for the taking, Ulquiorra. Just don't let me go," her eyes looked to their joined hands. "I do have faith in you, you know. I just don't enjoy hearing about your past dalliances… It makes me feel sick," she admitted in a small voice, thoroughly embarrassed. She knew it was irrational to be jealous of the past, but she was anyway.

His forehead furrowed. "I thought-I mean-" Ulquiorra clearly did not understand what the hell was going on with this conversation. Orihime had stumped him once again. "My past makes me feel sick too, Orihime, but it's a part of me. Just like my past as an Espada is part of me."

She tilted her head and looked him in the eye. He was reading her words all wrong. It was her fault. "Ulquiorra, I don't want you to feel ashamed of your past. It is what it is. It's made you who you are. I don't want to change it. I said what I said for selfish reasons. I said it because I'm jealous. I said it because the thought of another woman touching you fills me with rage. It's irrational," she dropped her eyes down to their hands again, her face bright red with mortification.

Oh. Understanding came over him. Somehow she felt exactly like he did. It was a consuming desire. "Woman, Orihime… It's not irrational because the thought of someone else touching you-It makes me want to kill someone. I recognized this wasn't a healthy impulse. I felt it the day Markus threatened to pose you with someone else."

"Well, I'm glad you're not murdering anyone," she said with a small laugh. "Is it wrong that it makes me happy to hear you say that though?"

He lifted one straight eyebrow at her words. "It's not wrong. We need to do something about us. How can we make whatever is between us work smoothly?"

She raised her eyebrows to a more relaxed position and exhaled slowly. "I don't know. You actually have more romantic relationship experience than I do. But I think we both need to work on trusting each other and communicating better. If you don't understand something I say, just ask. I'm not going to be angry or offended about a question. I'll work on not making assumptions too. I just…" she sighed again, realizing what she was asking of him was not something she was offering in return, at least not at the moment. She pressed her eyes shut and said it anyway, "I just want you always to be honest with me."

Ulquiorra frowned slightly. He didn't see how having sex with other women before her counted as romantic relationship experience. A couple of months of dating someone and then falling into a bed with two nameless women didn't count either. He had taken her virginity, and she had said there was no other man before him… Except for the Quincy. That asshole didn't count because he was gay though. "I will always be honest with you Orihime. I have never lied to you once."

She nodded. She believed him. Just then a doctor arrived in her room with a clipboard. "Miss. Inoue?"

"Yes?" she asked, not sure why the doctor appeared so serious.

"And you, sir, are, um, Mr. Inoue, I presume?"

Orihime's eyes widened in fear as her eyes slowly tracked to Ulquiorra's face. She trusted him. She believed in him. She also trusted and believed that talking about something like marriage would send him running for the hills.

"Mr. Inoue?" he mumbled and looked at the doctor with wide eyes. Was this man implying that he was legally connected to Orihime? "I-uh-" He didn't know what to say again. He found that happening a lot these days as his life became more entangled with Orihime's. Ulquiorra glanced at Orihime before he gave a slight nod. He only did it because he was unsure of what to do.

"Very good," the doctor said, undeterred by the couple's reluctance to answer the question and looked at his clipboard. "Well, most of your tests came back normal. Now I know you had told a nurse that there was no possibility, but we did have enough for a sample, and it's our policy as a hospital to test a female of child-bearing age for pregnancy. Unfortunately, our test result was inconclusive. I'll need to have a technician come in a collect another sample in a few minutes. Other than that, how is your head feeling, Mrs. Inoue?"

Orihime's mouth fell open. Her voice caught in her throat. What could she say? She had hoped just to ride this out and sweep it under the rug. The doctor was calling her out.

When she started taking birth control, she was told it wouldn't be completely effective until after the first several weeks. In the meantime, she was told to continue her regular form of birth control. After the stairwell incident, she went to the drugstore the next day, only to be told she could not take emergency contraceptives because it would interact with her regular birth control medication. She was assured by the pharmacist that the likelihood of her actually becoming pregnant under the circumstances was very small, but that she would just have to wait a few weeks and take a pregnancy test or wait for her period to arrive, whichever came first. Orihime had been fretting about it ever since.

She had not breathed a word of it to Ulquiorra.

She turned to look at him now and opened and closed her mouth like a fish, finally sputtering out, "It must just be a bad test, right?" she asked the doctor while observing Ulquiorra.

He carefully schooled his face into a blank stare, an impassive expression. Inside his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts in turmoil. She wanted honesty from him, but she couldn't return the favor. Had she purchased the damn medication or had she left the next morning to get a coffee and donuts? That's what she came back to the apartment with, a smile plastered on her face. "She's pregnant? Or there's a chance she could be?" Ulquiorra asked, his tone was flat. He did not look at Orihime.

"As I said, the test was inconclusive. It may result from a contaminated specimen, or like Mrs. Inoue suggested a faulty test. There is no reason to suspect Mrs. Inoue is pregnant based on this test result alone," the doctor said as he flipped through her chart. "Although, Mrs. Inoue, if a subsequent test does come back positive for pregnancy, it might explain your sudden vertigo. If that is the case, I can refer you to one of several excellent obstetricians we have on staff," he supplied helpfully.

Hearing this made his chin tilt fractionally higher and his jaw clench. Ulquiorra had been an idiot; he let his dick do the thinking for them and look where he ended up. Pulling his hands away from Orihime, he shoved them into the pockets of his jeans. "This test needs to be done now," he stated.

Orihime was fucked. She knew it. Even if the test result came back negative, she could see by the look on his face that she had somehow destroyed what little trust he had in her. Her body felt heavy. "Please doctor; my husband is a busy man. We'd like the results as soon as possible, please," she asked in a small, defeated voice. She closed her eyes after she said it. She didn't want to see the look on Ulquiorra's face anymore.

"Of course. I'll be back with your results shortly after the technician collects the sample. Until then, Inoues," the doctor said, spinning around and leaving the room.

As soon as that door closed, Ulquiorra turned to Orihime. "You fucking lied to me," he snapped at her. "You want me to be honest, but you didn't even buy that shit, did you? What the fuck? Are you trying to trap me into your idea of a fucking fairytale forever? Did you want to become some child support whore?"

Her eyes snapped open. She had expected him to be upset, yes. Angry. Disappointed in her, obviously. She had not expected _this._

"I was trying to protect you. It was probably nothing. I was assured it was probably nothing. The pharmacist said I couldn't have it because of the other birth control. I didn't know. The pharmacist said there was nothing I could do but wait and see. I didn't want you panicking," she explained as quickly as she could, her voice wavering.

"Protect me? How? By lying? By withholding the fucking truth?!" Ulquiorra was livid. "I'm beyond panicking, _Inoue_."

"I knew you would! That's why I didn't say anything! In two more weeks I would have known for sure and then it wouldn't be an issue anymore!" she shouted, desperate to get through to him.

Ulquiorra shook his head. This had been a disaster waiting to happen. It always was where this particular human was concerned. "TWO MORE FUCKING WEEKS WOULD HAVE BEEN TOO LATE. What if you are? You'll be on your own. I already put my foot down about this."

So that's how he really felt. She was just a whore, trying to trap him. Just a whore. Just like her mother. It was destiny, wasn't it? She took a small, painful breath and looked at him, but not in the eyes. When she spoke, her voice was low, but steady and clear. "Get out."

He wanted to tell her no that he wasn't leaving until the test results came back but Ulquiorra knew if he stuck around there'd be more yelling, and he would get angrier. "Gladly. Lose my number." The dark-haired man turned and walked out of the hospital room. He ignored the looks and glances he had gotten from the people in the hall. They probably had heard the fight. Ulquiorra didn't care. He had plenty of time to think about things as he walked back to his apartment.

He had offered his sanctuary to her, to allow her to share his haven away from the world. Ulquiorra's mouth twisted into a frown and he felt his chin quiver. His eyes burned. What was this? By the time he reached his building, he kept having to blink wetness from his eyes. The other occupants of the building did not say anything to him as he ran up those stairs. When he unlocked his door and stepped inside, Ulquiorra slammed the door shut and looked around.

The whiteboard was the first thing he saw. Rage was building inside of him. Why? What the hell was wrong with his eyes that they kept leaking? He grabbed the thing with her note still written on it and broke it in half throwing the pieces behind him. He broke what he deemed as her coffee mug, smashing it against the tiled floor. It had made her smile, therefore, needed to be destroyed.

He went through the apartment ripping up sketches of her, and he contemplated destroying paintings. There was no way he would do that though. He could sell every last one of them. Ulquiorra went up the ladder to where his bed sat, flopping down on it. The first thing he looked at was a photograph of them that she took. He launched it over the sidewall of the loft. He heard the frame as it shattered.

* * *

Against doctor's orders, Orihime checked herself out of the hospital as soon as she got the pregnancy results back. As she had expected, they were negative. She didn't want to spend another moment in that room if she didn't have to.

She walked back to her and Uryu's apartment, kicked off her shoes, and went to the bathroom, pulling off the sterile dressing from her forehead. She hoped she had enough spiritual pressure to do what she needed to do. "I reject," she said, watching her small dome come out and cover the wound on her head and the part of her hairline that needed to be shaved off in order to place the stitch in her skin. It took longer than she had anticipated, but eventually, the hair and skin were back to their original states.

Her phone rang, and her heart jumped to her throat. Was it him? Was he going to try to make amends? She dove for her phone and answered without looking at the caller id.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Boo, everything ok? I felt your spiritual pressure spike. I was worried."

That's all it took for her to break down into sobs. She couldn't speak. She was overcome with pain, and it came pouring out of her in wailing cries.

"You're at home, right? I thought I felt you there. I'm coming back. Stay there." The Quincy hung up.

Uryu arrived twenty minutes later and found Orihime crumpled in a pile on the floor of the living room. On the low coffee table was a stack of the test shots that had been taken at Markus' studio.

Orihime looked to Uryu with red-rimmed eyes and could only say, "It's over."


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER 14: Reminders**

Ulquiorra glared when he saw his face plastered on billboards and in magazines. That fucking blond idiot. He had stomped into Markus' place and screamed at the fashion designer. Markus told him that the shots had been brilliant and hot. Requests were pouring in from places, requesting his designs.

That was fucking wonderful but it did nothing for Ulquiorra to see his face constantly paired with Inoue's. Markus had blown him off with a wave of a hand, asking if the green-eyed man would like to pose for him again, this time with an "actual" model. He had rolled his eyes so hard at that term.

So he did the photoshoot and the model in question, who was named Yui, was educated and not a mindless waif as she presented herself. They talked and laughed the entire time. By the end of the day, Ulquiorra had made a friend. Not that he wanted someone around. He was brooding over his failed romance with Orihime. He left one day and then came back to find his extra key that he had given her in his mail, sealed in an envelope. After that, he'd boxed up all the shit she had left behind and gave it to Uryu when he saw him at Markus' studio.

The Quincy glared at him and if looks could kill, he'd be dead.

Ulquiorra did not care. He tried to avoid her as much as he could. At first, it was easy but then his agent started getting more and more requests for him to model.

"I'm an art agent. I know dick all about modeling. You're-"

"You're going to learn quickly about the modeling world then," Ulquiorra snapped at the man.

He had jobs lined up and he always made sure that his agent never took the jobs that had him paired up with Orihime. Then he found out that Orihime didn't even model anymore. She was solely focused on designing clothes or whatever she did. At least that was the rumor.

If she wasn't modeling anymore there could be a chance… Ulquiorra shook his head.

It wasn't his problem, but the ads that Markus had approved gave him a lot of invites to parties and appearances at clubs. He always took Yui to these functions because she was funny. She understood that he just wanted a friend and nothing else.

The gossip rags got wind of his supposed romance with Yui. The model said she didn't mind. Ulquiorra fucking minded. He didn't want to give the other model any ideas. This was just a friendship, nothing more. He had deflected her romantic advances, stating that he had just exited an intense relationship.

"Inoue?" Yui had asked while they were having coffee one morning at a cafe near his building. They had met there after Ulquiorra had been up all night painting. Yui had been at Markus' studio all night.

Ulquiorra mulled this question over then nodded.

"You're not over her, are you?"

This time he shook his head. She accepted this with a smile. He constantly thought about the redhead. He got several new tattoos even though he hadn't sold any paintings.

When he wasn't working with other designers or posing, Ulquiorra was painting. He still had an obligation to the art galleries that had booked his shows. It hadn't been easy. He had put a box cutter through the unfinished painting of Orihime and thrown it away. His mood had become dark and desolate, so that's what he painted. Dark, brutal imagery plagued his art.

He hated it.

Paintings of a tall man with a long tongue and a scythe. A blue panther patrolling the white sands, half of the animal's face just a skull. A bat bleeding, impaled by a crystal branch. The mask of the Vizard who had defeated him. All the images of what happened in Hueco Mundo came to life with bold, angry brushstrokes and bursts of color.

Ulquiorra decided at this show, he'd sell his beloved paintings. They had been taken down off the wall and stowed away. He couldn't bear the sight of either one. It hurt too much. Seeing his face next to Orihime hurt. Seeing the images of them kissing was excruciating.

He deserved it though. He had said things that he could never take back. She had told him to get out and he did so with spite.

He missed her though.

* * *

She had been beside herself for the first few weeks. She lost weight and didn't sleep well. After the first week Uryu noticed and started sleeping at home again on a temporary basis. She wouldn't let him go to bed with her, but when she had nightmares that woke him up, he'd come to her room and slip into bed with her anyway, holding her until she stopped trembling.

Uryu had told her that now that she and Murcielago had broken up, Markus wasn't interested in her anymore, preferring to go with Ulquiorra and other more typical models. Orihime didn't care about losing the gig. She was heartbroken about Ulquiorra stealing it, though.

She cried and agonized until she grew numb, and then she threw herself into her work.

She shelved the patterns and partially completed garments she had been working on at school and started a new collection from scratch. She stayed in the school's studios until the wee hours of the mornings almost everyday. She gave up modelling completely. She made cash doing a little tailoring now and then and relying on Uryu's generosity. She accepted it. It was short-term and she would pay him back. She had to focus on her collection.

She drew and drew and and draped and patterned and sewed. For the very first time, she started with a crystal clear idea of what she wanted to design, each piece, from start to finish, and how she wanted each styled; it was all just a matter of execution. She wasn't afraid of hard work.

Uryu began spending less and less time at home as Orihime began to toil away all night most evenings, crashing in the student lounges and only going home to shower and change.

Orihime stopped caring so much about the fun side of this industry; the photography and partying, the scene and the gossip, and focused on the nitty-gritty business of working hard and getting shit done. This was the new her; focused and unsmiling. She wasn't going out of her way to please anyone. She had a job to do. It reflected in the way she presented herself. At first it was just her clothes; she was not privy to Markus' designs anymore, so she made her own with the leftover fabric she was using to craft her new designs. Most of it was black and white, not unlike Markus' in that regard, so most people didn't even notice.

The way she did her makeup was getting edgier; she lined her eyes more heavily, mainly to mask the fact that she never slept. She wore her hair up in a high ponytail most days. Again, it was a matter of practicality.

However, there was one thing that she did that was not a practicality. When Orihime stopped in the cafe near her school for her third cup of coffee one morning, she saw the news in the culture pages about Ulquiorra's new girlfriend. Of course she was drop-dead gorgeous. She looked nothing like Orihime. The paper explained that they had met modeling for Markus' spring campaign together, and had been inseparable ever since. When Orihime read this, the pain of their breakup shot through her as strong as the day it had happened. It made her want to bleed. It made her want to take a scalding hot shower. It made her want to begin to dye her hair. Her most signature physical feature, the one Tatsuki fought to protect, the one her brother had praised, the one Ulquiorra had first painted. All it ever did was remind her of pain.

It was just a few streaks at first, but everytime she would see a new picture of Ulquiorra and Yui together, she felt compelled to mark the occasion with another black streak. It didn't take long for her entire head to be peppered with peekaboo black streaks.

She began to attract Aki's attention. The woman misguidedly felt that Orihime was trying to emulate her and was flattered. Aki took the redhead under her wing to an extent, inviting her with her to events and lending her assistants when Orihime complained about her workload.

Uryu was still worried. He called some of Orihime's old friends from Karakura to try to arrange a get-together in Shibuya. Only Ichigo came. He had learned his lesson the last time he tried to visit and didn't try to hit on Orihime, but that didn't stop him from giving her the third degree about her choice in men. He had been deeply disturbed to see the pictures of her and her artist ex-boyfriend. "You know he looks exactly like that Espada," he lectured, "It's not healthy for you to be so fixated on the past. You have to move on. No wonder that relationship didn't go anywhere. Maybe you should talk to a professional."

Orihime's eyes nearly rolled out of their sockets. Was Ichigo serious? Did he know how hypocritical he was being? She glanced at Uryu with one eyebrow raised as Ichigo went on and on. Uryu only shrugged. Ichigo still had his head firmly lodged up his own ass.

They had decided to all go to a club together. Uryu wanted them all to meet Markus. Orihime didn't have any specific bad feelings toward the other designer, so she didn't object. She just planned on keeping a low profile on the chance that Ulquiorra would show up.

It had been almost a month since she had been out socially. She hadn't had an opportunity to dress for herself for months before that when she was the face for Markus. She was at a loss as she stared into her closet.

"Quin!" she called from her room. Uryu perked up from his disinterested, glazed-over expression he wore listening to Kurosaki and asked to be excused for a moment, walking into Orihime's room to find her butt naked and staring in to her closet. He slammed the door behind him and locked it.

"Orihime!" he hissed. "Kurosaki could have been right behind me!"

She looked over her shoulder at him with a dull expression. "Quin, I don't give a flying fuck if he sees me naked spread over a lawn chair. I just don't care. I need help dressing." Her head slowly turned back to her closet.

Uryu was anxious to get going. He didn't want to hang around the apartment listening to Kurosaki drone on about the goings-on in soul society or his monthly hollow average. He looked into Orihime's closet and pulled out a tiny black dress. It was a plain shift with no embellishments and lots of room for visible sideboob. "Here wear this with some strappy stilettos and you can cosplay as Posh Spice," he said, shoving the dress into her hands. "No undies," he warned, walking out of her room and closing the door behind him.

Ten minutes later they were on their way to Aquamarine again.

* * *

Ulquiorra was standing in Markus' studio with his arms crossed over his chest. "I have an art show to get ready for. I do not have time to entertain your brainless ideas."

Markus rolled his eyes. "I need you to represent my fashion label tonight, just for an hour or two. You look so good in the designs I did just for you. I know Yui is free, she already said that she would be willing to escort you. Uryu mentioned he's inviting Inoue out."

His impassive facade cracked a little, showing interest at the last statement. He then scoffed. "Your fashions are borrowed ideas from other designers. It's not hard to pair a t-shirt with a pair of jeans and then layer a jacket over it."

"You wound me," the designer pouted.

"No, I don't. Why would I care if Yui is willing to "escort" me? Why would I care if Ori-Inoue will be there?"

"Word travels fast in this business, Murcielago. Apparently, Inoue is unrecognizable. You're under contract to represent my brand. I demand your presence tonight."

The dark-haired man shook his head. "Fine, you hack. Where is this outfit?"

Fifteen minutes later, Ulquiorra was dressed in a ridiculous outfit. He had on black boots, a pair of white trousers that had black zippers up the sides. The cinder gray shirt was longer than what it needed to be, cut diagonally where the hem went from his hip on one side then fell to his knees on the other where it was slitted all the way up his torso, held in place by crisscrossed straps. It was also sleeveless and clung to him. The asshole made it out of silk.

He scowled as he looked at the blond. "No. Pick anything else."

Markus wouldn't budge as he had an assistant style his hair. Another woman, the makeup artist, quickly had his eyes lined with something. When everyone was gone, Markus smiled. It only took fifteen minutes until they were at some club.

* * *

Orihime watched with a bored expression as Uryu and Ichigo made their way out onto the dancefloor. She stood at the bar and accepted drinks that anonymous people bought for her, drinking her way into a state of not really giving a fuck who might show up or how obnoxious her friends might get. Aki had texted her to tell her that she was bringing Zerge and Pauletto later and asking her to stay until at least they had a chance to hang out together. Aki had enough pull to get her own booth, but she wasn't going to arrive for about another hour.

Orihime took a sip of something sweet and grimaced. She turned to the barkeeper and said, "Can you get me a Skinny Bitch and put it on Markus' tab? Thanks!" with a sweet smile.

The barkeeper didn't ask any questions. Her drink arrived a moment later and she raised her glass to herself, and with a bitter smile said, "Cheers Markus, you backstabbing scum," then took a long, cool sip. That was better. She scanned the room and didn't see anyone else she knew, so she made her way to a dark corner and stayed close to the wall.

Ulquiorra didn't wait for Markus and his entourage to follow behind him. He just went towards the door the club, they knew his face so he didn't have to say anything as he walked in. He knew he was being rude and didn't care. As usual, this place was a cesspool of desperate bodies waiting for their next quick fuck. He hated going out in public. He hated other people that asked prying questions.

The music was too loud, and the mixed smell of bodies and perfume was enough to make him head directly to the bar, ordering a drink. He kept telling himself that he wasn't here for a chance to see Orihime… Inoue… Whatever. He wasn't here for her. He was just maintaining his contract obligation.

Orihime had, due to necessity, left her phone with Ichigo. There was nowhere on her person to keep it. Her dress was basically just a square piece of cloth sewn together into a cylinder and held over her shoulders with thin strings. It lay open all the way to the top of her hips in the back and revealed most of her ribs on the sides. Pursuant to Uryu's rules, "no undies", she didn't even have a bra to stow a phone in. Uryu knew her passcode and she didn't want him thumbing through the device, so Ichigo was the only option.

She sipped on her vodka and began to sway to the music with her eyes closed. She didn't hate coming to places like this, in fact she rather enjoyed it under the right circumstances. In the dark spot she currently claimed, away from groping hands and prying eyes, it was just her, the vodka, and the music. It was the closest she had felt to serenity since her break up

There was no downside at the moment, as far as she was concerned. She was completely free. No one could call her and demand her time. She didn't have a screen to pretend to be occupied with. She finished her drink and set her glass down and took a step into the edges of the dancing lights. The music changed to something pretty and melodic with an almost atmospheric edge but a strong bassline. She began to dance freely. For the time being, no person disturbed her.

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes as Markus came inside and directed him to a booth. It was such bullshit what he had to put up with from the man. They weren't fucking and he wasn't a pushover like his former girlfriend going along with every little demand. It was probably why Markus didn't like him all that much. Ulquiorra would not bow down to the designer. He set his drink on the table and allowed Yui to slip into the booth first. He made sure he was away from the blond. He didn't want to hear his shit tonight about representing a brand or whatever other nonsense came out of his mouth.

Almost immediately the Quincy arrived, reaching over the table to kiss Markus on the cheek and smile at Yui and the rest of those present, excluding Ulquiorra. After greeting his boyfriend, he stood up and to the side to introduce another person. "Markus, this is a friend of mine from school, Kurosaki Ichigo. Kurosaki, this is my boyfriend, Markus."

Kurosaki nodded to the blond man and smiled cordially, scanning the other people seated at the booth. When his eyes landed on Yui, his eyebrows flashed rather obviously, and his grin took on a rakish air. That all disappeared when he saw the person seated to her left. The grin melted into a familiar scowl. "Oh, it's you," the shinigami ground out through clenched teeth. He caught himself after a beat and relaxed his expression, lifting his brows and tilting his chin up at Yui in an obvious come-on.

"Nice to see you again, Kurosaki," Ulquiorra said. He noted the orange-haired man's reaction to his "date", and he noticed Yui's smile at him. They were just friends. He didn't care what or who she did. He had no plans to sleep with her.

Kurosaki furrowed his brows at the man to his right, "Again? You just met me, dude. I've seen you before though. It's not nice to meet you. Inoue is my friend, and I don't take kindly to losers who break her heart, so don't talk to me."

That was amusing. Ulquiorra turned his gaze to the Quincy. "You didn't tell him?" he asked with a lift of his eyebrow.

Uryu scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Not. Worth. It." is all he said before turning his attention back to Markus. He quickly looked back at the artist and advised, "She's here, FYI." He trusted Ulquiorra not to talk to her. He hadn't all this time, what would make him start now?

"Don't worry. I get it." Ulquiorra scanned the crowd but didn't see anyone who matched his ex's description. She must have been in the ladies room. After the assessment, he turned his attention back to the substitute shinigami. "We met before. Six years ago… In another place. I'm C. Murcielago."

"Yeah, whatever. What does the C. stand for? I don't know anyone who goes by his initials." The lighting in this club was dim. Ulquiorra's eyes looked normal with his pupils wide like they were. Ichigo was not making the connection.

"It stands for Cifer," Yui said, smiling at Ichigo. "Pardon me but would you like to dance, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo smiled at her, "Yeah, c'mon," he said before scowling at Ulquiorra again.

Ulquiorra shifted out of the way so that the model could get past him and then watched as they walked onto the dance floor. He sighed, looking around again. "Ishida, where is she? I'm only asking so that I can avoid her."

"I don't fucking know, Batman. Kurosaki has her phone, so I can't even find out for you. Um, she's wearing black. She looks fantastic. Figure the rest out on your own," he whined, sick of being a go-between.

"You just fucking told me to leave her alone in fewer words than that," he snapped. Ulquiorra quickly downed the rest of his drink before leaving the booth.

He walked towards the bar not caring who he ran into, Ulquiorra didn't bother to apologize to anyone. He was going to order another drink but something, no, someone caught his eye. Swallowing, Ulquiorra turned his entire body towards the person who caught his attention. His mouth went dry. He was staring at a very different and dark version of Inoue Orihime. He debated whether or not he should go over to her, but the Quincy did say to leave her be and not bother her. There were mixed signals in his words though.

Deciding to tempt fate, Ulquiorra walked in her direction, watching as her body moved. The so-called scrap of fabric she wore as a dress did nothing to hide those curves. It was clear with how much of her side was exposed that she was not wearing a bra. He was already an idiot, so he decided to be even stupider and walk up behind her, his body scant inches from hers.

Ulquiorra wanted to reach out and grab her hips so that he could pull her against him. He wanted to speak to her. He found that his body would not listen, so he did neither. His fingers merely twitched.

Someone had approached. She could feel the temperature around her shift. Whoever it was had not moved after what she assumed was his initial approach. It was fine with her. She wasn't here to make friends. She continued to sway her hips in the same way as before, until she smelled something. She could swear it was eucalyptus. Cedar. Leather. Shit, there was no way. She knew there was a chance that he was here tonight but she knew he would avoid her if he even recognized her. It must just be a similar scent. Or maybe he had walked through that space earlier. Her hips stilled and she took another deep breath. It smelled exactly like him.

She opened her eyes and looked straight ahead. She steeled her expression as her eyes cautiously scanned the room before her. There was no way the guy behind her was him. He wouldn't approach her. He hated her.

_He hated her._

The image of him shouting at her in that hospital room flashed before her eyes. She blinked hard and grit her teeth. Despite her best efforts, her chin bobbled, and a tear streaked out of her left eye before she knew what was happening. She quickly wiped it away and took off quickly toward the restroom. She couldn't be seen crying in a club, especially this one.

Ulquiorra didn't know what he expected. Okay, maybe he expected her to turn around and look at him. He didn't expect her to freeze or sniffle or take off like a bat flying out of hell. With quick steps, dodging and slipping between the bodies on the dance floor, Ulquiorra knew he had to reach her. He needed to talk to her. People kept getting in his way, and he had to run to catch up with her practically.

Reaching out his pale hand, Ulquiorra caught her wrist just before she made it to the door of the bathroom. He made sure he had an iron grip on it so she couldn't yank herself away.

She yelped when she felt the strong hand grab her wrist, but quickly decided it must be either Uryu or Ichigo. She turned around to see a much paler hand on her wrist. She looked up and followed the arm attached to the hand to see his face looking at her with an unreadable expression. She froze.

If he didn't look at her pictures, he could tell himself he was over her. If he didn't think about all the time they spent together, he could forget her. Seeing her dancing the way that she had been erased the past almost two months. The feeling like his heart was breaking was back. He felt overwhelming emotions flooding his senses. She looked like a deer caught in a pair of headlights, staring at him wide-eyed. He could barely breathe looking at her. Several times his mouth opened and closed before he managed to say, "Woman?" It was a heavy question.

She continued to stare at him for a long moment, completely stunned. She heard his question. She hiccuped at hearing the familiar name he used for her. This had to be a nightmare. Her brow crumpled. "No," she whimpered so quietly that she barely heard it, looking down and to the side. She had finally become functional to a degree. How could this be happening now?

"Orihime, please," Ulquiorra said, pulling her closer to him so that he didn't have to speak in a loud voice. He could feel her resisting him. All he wanted to do was apologize. "I was in the wrong."

She rose one eye to him, puzzled. Okay, so he realized he had been a fuck up of massive proportions. She doubted he really thought so, though. Maybe he felt overwhelmed with pity? None of that changed the fact that he didn't wait two weeks to steal her job and find himself a new girlfriend. She sighed and used her free hand to wipe her eyes. "What do you want me to do, Ulquiorra?" she asked in a breaking voice.

She wasn't going to forgive him. That was fine. It was perfectly within her right to do so. He'd been an asshole that day. He had been more than an asshole. He'd been the biggest dickbag ever. "Talk to me," he replied. Ulquiorra knew that she would probably get pissed off at him but it was worth a shot. He had to ask. "Go somewhere with me and talk to me. I can't stand this."

Orihime rolled her eyes. He couldn't stand this? How selfish could one person be? He left her high and dry, and everything had worked out swell for him. "Fine, you wanna talk? Let's talk. Wherever you want."

She didn't sound very convinced. "If I talk are you going to listen or just let it go in one ear and out the other?" Ulquiorra stared at her. "We can go back to my place… Or yours… Or find some place that is open that's not filled with drunk people or loud music."

"Don't you think your girlfriend would be pissed if her boyfriend left with his ex? We can talk outside." She couldn't believe him. What kind of shitty apology was this? And since when did he think he could set the terms for the conditions of her acceptance?

He knew that damn article was going to cause problems. Ulquiorra wasn't going to have this discussion outside though, not with other people around, gawking at him. "Yui's not my girlfriend. She's a female friend. I've already told her that I wasn't interested in her and that-She's dancing with Kurosaki right now. Why does he have your phone?"

She looked at him with a dubious expression and grabbed at the sides of her dress, pulling out the sides as far as the material would stretch, exposing herself to him a great deal momentarily. "Does it look to you like I have anywhere to keep it?" she asked sarcastically.

Ulquiorra took a glance at her and then looked away. "No," he managed to say with a dry mouth. Fuck; she was still beautiful. At least when he looked back at her, she no longer was giving him a look at her tits and body. "You told me to pick wherever I wanted to talk. I picked. This isn't a talk we need an audience for, Woman. I don't want an audience for it."

She was not having it. There was absolutely no way in hell she was going back to his place. Uryu and Kurosaki would murder him if they found him at home, although she was weighing the pros and cons of that situation in the back of her mind. "Karaoke."

There was a huge karaoke place the next block over. They could rent a sound-proof booth if that's what he wanted.

His jaw clenched, and he thought about this for a moment. Ulquiorra should have never even bothered her. He should have left her alone like the Quincy had said to do. "Why not my place?"

"You don't want a child support whore in your place, do you Ulquiorra?"

Yeah, she was definitely still harboring ill feelings towards him. He deserved it, every bit of her ire; he asked for it. "You're the woman I can't get over. The one who got away; the one who told me to get out because I'm an insensitive asshole. I can't stand being this miserable. I cannot stand-I was wrong for saying that. "

"For someone who's supposedly not over me you've got a funny way of showing it. Do you want to talk or not? Do you want to do this here? I'm not going to your place. Period."

"No. Nevermind," he said then narrowed his eyes at her. Ulquiorra let go of her wrist, remembering the words she had murmured to him while they were fucking in the stairwell. "You don't want to obey me, that's fine. Sorry to bother you."


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER 15: Enemies to Friends**

Days later, Ulquiorra was vaguely listening to Markus bitch at him on the phone. He didn't care that he ruined the man's chances at seeing his male line of fashion in the wild. After the blond started screaming at him, the artist hung up on him, thumbing through the contacts listed in the device.

Where Orihime's name once read _My Princess_, it now said _Baby Mama_. He'd been stupid and drunk when he changed it. He tapped the phone lightly against his mouth before Ulquiorra decided to text her.

_\- Thanks for showing me your tits. They're still nice. The mental image doesn't compare to the real deal though._

Orihime was at school when the text came through from an unknown number. She was livid.

_-who the fuck is this?! How did you get this number?_

A scowl crossed his face. Had she actually deleted his number from her phone? Fuck, he had screwed up. Instead of sending words, he sent a selfie of himself laying in his bed then followed it up with a message.

_\- Surprise. How do you think I got it? I kept it._

She was honestly surprised to see his face. What was he trying to do? Just sexually harass her? She considered not responding. Knowing him though, he would be persistent. She added his number back to her contact list under a new name, _The Prince of Darkness._

_\- why?_

"For fuck sakes," he muttered. Ulquiorra shook his head. Why else would he keep her number?

_\- I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said. I was pissed. Forgive me, sweetness?_

_Sweetness _? Was he for real? Where had he picked up his game? What kind of television programs did he watch? What kind of people had he met in the past four years that taught him to be such a dickhead? The Ulquiorra she knew, the Espada, would never try to sweet talk her with meaningless nicknames. What was he playing at?

_-What happened to the fourth Espada? You know, the one who would never even consider using some meaningless endearment in an effort to avoid conflict? The one who would only face me with brutal honesty? Who are you and what have you done with him?_

Shit. She was calling him out. Fuck. Ulquiorra scowled at the screen.

_\- He fell in love with a human. I'm still me… the fuckboy. The manwhore. I'm still your Espada, Woman._

She shook her head.

_You don't sound like him._

It was now or never. Ulquiorra could tell Orihime what was on his mind and his heart. Could he though?

_\- I fucked up. I apologize for it. It was my fault what happened in the stairwell, and I caused this whole thing._

Orihime read his message several times and decided not to reply right away. It was a nice start; a nice gesture. She wasn't sure she agreed with his assessment though. It was more complicated than that. She needed to think about it. She set her phone aside and got back to work.

No answer. No reply. Ulquiorra sighed and thought back to that night at the club. He had ulterior motives that night, thinking he could smooth this all over and she would be back in his arms. He was happy that they didn't talk because it wouldn't have gotten them anywhere and he would have done something stupid.

_\- You free rn? Can I call?_

Her phone buzzed again about a half hour later, and she read his text requesting a phone call. She was still working, but she had the studio space to herself. It would not hurt to hear his reasoning.

_-I'm working at school atm, but I can put you on speaker._

He mulled this over. He didn't want anyone to hear what he had to say to her. Ulquiorra wished this wasn't so hard for him to do.

-_ Kinda personal subject matter. Can we have dinner? Maybe breakfast? Lol_

She frowned at his text. It was a terrible idea.

_-No. I would like to talk, but not in person. It's too emotional._

Ulquiorra bit his lip. She was right. Things had been too emotional the other day when they saw each other; when they had exchanged those few words. He let his head fall back on the pillow.

-_ You think talking on the phone is going to be less emotional? Unless you've learned how to be dead inside, I'm gonna hear your voice, Woman._

She knew he was right.

_-Of course it will be emotional but hopefully a little buffered. We could just keep corresponding by text…_

Nothing was keeping him from going to Bunka Fashion College. Well, there was the fact that he didn't want to upset her and Ulquiorra didn't want to seem like a stalker. He rubbed his forehead, trying to decide if he wanted to reply or not.

_\- I miss you. I know that sounds callous, especially after what I said to you._

She let the message sit unread for a while. After about ten minutes she picked up her phone and read his text. She really wanted to believe him, despite her misgivings. She chose her words very carefully.

_\- These past two months have been really awful._

He snorted. Thank you, captain obvious.

_\- yeah. I know. You want me to leave you alone then?_

She rolled her eyes. Maybe texting wasn't such a great idea; too much room for interpretation.

_\- Call me. I'm alone_.

Ulquiorra pressed the phone icon and brought it to his ear. He had always been the one to call her, usually in frustration at her text messages. He didn't know how this was going to go. It could go rather well or take a left turn at horribly wrong.

The phone rang right away, surprising her.

"Hello?" Her voice was soft.

"Hey," he replied. Hearing her voice made breathing difficult for a moment. "Sup, baby doll?"

_God, that was lame _.

She tried to stifle a snort, but it came out before she could stop it. "Baby doll?" She asked, incredulous but amused.

Ulquiorra chuckled. "Yeah, I cringed too. I—" He didn't know what to say that he hadn't said already.

There was a long pause. "How have you been?" She kept her voice quiet just in case someone passed by. It made it sound somewhat intimate. Not sexy, but intimate.

"The usual. Can't sleep. Dreams and nightmares. Moody. Pissed off." Ulquiorra closed his eyes, focusing on her voice. "You?"

"I have been working my butt off. Apparently, heartache is good for inspiration. Who knew?" she laughed a tiny huff.

He knew how that was. He had painted more than his quota for the art show. "Yeah, same. One painting got destroyed but other than that… I got a couple of new tattoos," Ulquiorra commented.

"Oh no, what happened to the painting?"

"I got angry and destroyed it."

She could guess why. She could guess which one, too. "Sorry. What kind of tattoos then?"

Ulquiorra chuckled. "Don't be. You know I don't talk about them, Woman."

"Right, how could I forget," she replied awkwardly. She felt that this was the moment to pivot away from pleasantries, but she wasn't sure how to do it. She tried remembering what had happened the other night at the club. He had grabbed her because he wanted to talk. That was the proverbial elephant in the room, she guessed. "So, you wanted to talk to me about something…"

The mood shifted and once again Orihime was calling him out. Ulquiorra cleared his throat. "I, uh, I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for fucking up. I miss you."

"I miss you too. A lot." Her voice was cautious but sincere.

He had always been a bumbling idiot when speaking to others once he became a human again. Through emails and text messages he could be smooth, suave, and charming. "I also wanted to tell you… I still… I love you," he said, almost having to choke out the last word. Ulquiorra hated this vulnerable and exposed feeling. He remained silent after he spoke not wanting to reveal more.

Her breath caught in her throat as she heard him choke on his words. Her instinct was to reach through the phone and hold him; comfort him somehow. She knew that not only was it impossible, it would also be counterproductive. They couldn't fall back into their old ways. If they did, they would just go back to where they were which was dysfunctional.

"I love you too," she whispered. She couldn't think of anything else to say at that moment.

He let out a huff of air then blinked back tears. "You're probably busy with things," he said. Ulquiorra didn't know what it was, but her previous statement didn't sound right. She didn't sound sure of it, like she was saying just because he did.

He pulled away. Why did he pull away? "I'm busy, but I am making time for you. And I'm doing it because I want to. What's bothering you?"

"I don't know. Like, I keep thinking how to fix this. Nothing I come up with works," Ulquiorra confessed after a long pause.

She sighed quietly. "I know. I'm still really hurting. I can guess that you are too." She paused and let a few breaths lapse as she considered some options. "I think we can't fix it. If we want to make it work, we're going to have to break it down and rebuild it."

"Do you want to? I mean I said some shitty things. Why would you want me again?"

"You did. You really did say shitty things. I'm not totally sure if I want to let you back in, to be honest. I still have feelings for you, but my head is waving warning flags, you know? I think if you want to get back together, we would have to 'break it down' first."

Ulquiorra sighed then rolled onto his stomach. He closed his eyes again, burying his face into the pillow while he thought about this. She was talking about starting over from scratch. It wouldn't work. He wanted her too much. Then coupled with the fact that she wasn't even sure she wanted him? It seemed pointless. After a minute of silence, he finally replied with, "You mean actually be friends. Friends don't wanna fuck each other, Orihime."

She paused for a moment, then sniggered. "Tell that to Kurosaki. Tell that to Quin. Tell that to Markus, tell that to me when I was a teenager, or tell that to any other person who has ever harbored a crush on someone they were friends with. It happens. People do it. The question is, are _you _willing to do it? I don't need an answer now."

"For the record, I never fucked Yui," he said. Ulquiorra took a deep breath. "Woman, ugh, I'm willing to do it, it's just-I don't know if I _can _do it. All I'm thinking about right now is how I want to touch you. It's not appropriate at all if we're going to _be friends _."

"The difference here, and I think it is the difference you'd have to keep in mind to retain your sanity, perhaps, is that we'd be friends with the goal of getting back together. Because, I'll be honest with you, Ulquiorra, I can't be friends with you long-term. I don't think I could ever stand beside you and support you as you fell in love with someone else. I could never go to your wedding as a guest. It would kill me. So it's not honest to really compare it to an innocent friendship."

He shook his head. She was assuming a lot of shit… Like thinking he'd fall in love with anyone but her. He'd never get married, Ulquiorra had seen the shitshow that resulted in that. He'd become the biggest asshole and playboy if this didn't work out. "How come you're not modeling anymore? Is it because…?" he trailed off leaving the question open for inference.

Orihime had hoped this wouldn't come up. "He didn't tell you, did he?" She sighed. "Markus said that without you I was worthless as a model. He fired me, and you got my job. This is a fickle world, fashion. If Markus deems me unworthy, everyone else follows suit. I stopped getting offers."

His jaw clenched. That blond bastard had lied to him, telling him that Orihime had decided to quit. "Backstabbing-" Ulquiorra stopped because he didn't want to get angry while on the phone. "So, explain to me how do we be friends? It has to be different than the friendship I have with Yui."

She cringed hearing him talk about her. Orihime had met Yui several times before. She was lovely. A nice person. It made her extremely uncomfortable. She saw their modeling shots together. Ulquiorra had looked like he was following direction well, acting however bored or interested in her a photographer asked. The same could not be said for Yui. She was clearly interested for real.

That wasn't his fault though, and she wasn't going to bring it up. She took a few breaths to shake it off. "Yes, it would be different. Very very different," she assured him. "I don't know how to do it… I guess we just start by being friendly, and not strangers?"

Ulquiorra could tell this was going to be awkward. His fists opened and closed several times, and he registered the feeling in his brain as frustration and irritation. "Nod and smile; try not to remember what you feel like? Okay. I can try."

"Um, I'm not going to ask you to do that. I won't do it. I can't see our pictures plastered around town and not feel like I've been punched in the face with the smell of your soap or…" Orihime trailed off, realizing she was quickly headed for a destination she had just roped off as off-limits. "I don't want to pretend to be the thought police. We can't forget the past. That's not what I want to do. But we can't go back to what we were. If we do, it will end the same way it ended before. Maybe we should just not hang out? Just talk on the phone? I mean, if we see each other out, then it's fine, and we can be social…" She groaned softly. "I never said it would be easy. I'm willing to do it anyway."

"You're not going to become a dragon if I bring dates to places, are you? I know how you get," Ulquiorra said with an amused tone. "I mean… I'd get the same way."

Her eyes narrowed. "I would absolutely be a dragon. Let's not bullshit each other."

"Right, so go solo to all these events," he replied. Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. This wasn't going to work. He could feel like it wasn't going to work because he'd slip up and break this friend thing. The need to be sexual with her was overwhelming. He needed and wanted her close by him. They said they would be friends months ago and looked what happened. He ended up defiling her by taking her virginity. "I might be able to do this if we never see each other."

She whined a little. "I go solo to events all the time. The only person I ever go out with is Quin."

"Don't bitch… You wanna be friends. I want to fuck your brains out." It was a crude statement, but hopefully, it got his point across.

She was getting irritated. He was missing the point and focusing on keywords instead of seeing the big picture. "I can't be the only one doing the work to fix this. You either want us to work, or you don't. I can't go back to you, back to how we were, and feel good about myself. Not after what you said. I would always doubt you. I would always feel victimized. I don't want that. I want to make things right, but I can't do it by myself."

"I want us to work, but I'm just saying, it sucks I'm not going to be able to hang out with you," Ulquiorra said. "I said I was willing to make it work; I just don't know if I can keep the whole 'just friends' thing going around you, alone. There would have to be people around us constantly."

"Oh absolutely. I wasn't suggesting otherwise. I'm not a saint, Ulquiorra," she responded quickly. "We're not going to be going for coffee or pizza kind of 'friends'. We'd be 'call each other and see each other out' kind of friends."

"More like call you when I'm drunk and send you inappropriate selfies," he scoffed. It was more at himself than Orihime. "I got a gallery show at the end of this month, on the thirtieth, if you want to go."

She smiled. "Okay."

* * *

A week passed, Ulquiorra texted Orihime at least once a day. He called her every other day. Sometimes, he would just listen to her talk and other times he would offer up some words. He didn't like this, but he had to deal with it. Which was fine until Markus told him that he was collaborating with a fragrance line and they wanted Ulquiorra to model. It didn't make sense for him to be naked for fucking pictures. What the hell did being naked, a fashion designer and a fucking bottle of smelly shit have to do with one another?

So he went to the photoshoot and saw Yui there. She was wearing a robe and bounded up to him. "Murcielago! Guess who your co-star is today!"

He rolled his eyes. This was awesome. Markus told him it was a solo shoot. There was no way he could get out of it, and he glared in the blond's direction. The man merely smirked back at him.

"Let's get you to wardrobe and makeup so they can make you even sexier!"

Forty minutes later, he felt like an absolute fool. Yui had on a drapey mess that looked like the metallic silk one that he had seen Orihime in, but this one looked like an oversized potato sack and didn't have the poofy skirt attached to it. He, on the other hand, was stark ass naked.

"When did you get new tattoos?" Markus demanded as Ulquiorra dropped the towel he was wearing.

"Whenever the fuck I wanted?"

"Whatever, keep it up, and you won't do another gig-"

"You think I care?" Ulquiorra asked and took his place in front of the camera.

Eight hours later, the entire thing was done. Usually, Markus would have Yui be the one who was focused on him, this time it was different. The female model was the stoic, blank-eyed statue while Ulquiorra had to pretend to be interested. The woman was okay for a friend, but she was fucking thirsty when it came to him. She looked at him like a lovesick puppy or a woman who was smitten. Time and time again, Ulquiorra had to remind her that they were friends and friends didn't hang on each other like she did.

Yui constantly wanted to hold his arm or elbow. She tried to hold his hand while they would be walking somewhere. It annoyed him. About a week before his show, Yui had invited him out for coffee, and he showed up, like an idiot because he couldn't spend physical time with his favorite woman. They were still texting and calling each other. Orihime was busy though, and so was he but he had just texted her a question and was waiting for an answer when the waif-like, taller model broke his concentration.

"I assume you'll be taking me to the gallery opening?"

"What?"

Yui sighed. "Your show, you're going to be accompanying me, right?"

Ulquiorra shook his head. "I never attend my shows. I don't want to be around people."

"Markus said you're to be there wearing his fashions."

"Markus can eat a dick. He can't dictate whether or not I go to my things. If he wants to, he can contact my agent."

The woman pursed her lips. "You've been awfully fixated with your phone. Who has gotten your attention now? Things still rocky with Inoue? Do you think that's a good idea?"

The green-eyed man regretted even telling the model that he and his ex were "talking" again. She had made all kinds of assumptions about their friendship. Somedays it really seemed like she was jealous by how she acted. "It's not a big deal. We just talk. She's busy, and I'm busy-"

"You still have time to see me although you're _busy _."

"Yui, drop it. You and I are friends. Inoue and I are friends. I'm allowed to have friends that are females, other than you. We are not dating." With that, he left the cafe and walked back home. He had other things to focus on besides some crazy bitch's antics.

Later that night, Orihime called Ulquiorra. There hadn't been a particular reason; she had just wanted to hear his voice.

He picked up, still irritated. "Hey, Woman. Not the best time but I can put aside my anger for you."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I can always call back later if you prefer…"

"Nah, you're fine. Just pissy about some things today. How was your day?"

"Work work work. Aki came over and gave me some constructive criticism. It's nice to have someone who is taking an interest in my work and not just my look, you know?" She sounded like she was trying to tone down her exuberance for his benefit, but she was clearly very pleased.

He smiled although Orihime couldn't see it. Ulquiorra liked hearing about her day. Some days weren't the best because of her getting frustrated at things. Some days, she sounded so happy. "I haven't seen any of your designs yet. Holding out on me? Are you doing men's stuff or just woman's outfits?"

"I've been playing around with some ideas for menswear, but I'm still not sure whether I'll put any in my collection this time. I'm blowing my entire budget on fabric and supplies, so when it comes to a show or photography, I'm going to have to model most of it myself. Maybe I can rope some underclassmen into helping out. I'd feel bad about not being able to pay them though. I'd ask Uryu but…" she paused to sigh. "I owe him a lot of money as-is. He says not to worry about it, but come on, right?"

"I know a guy who'd be willing to model your menswear for free," Ulquiorra teased. "You just gotta watch him get dressed and undressed as payment."

She smiled although he couldn't see it. "Your pimp would never let that fly. When does your contract expire?" She giggled, but she was actually curious.

"Markus can go fuck himself and so can my agent," Ulquiorra stated. He let out a heavy sigh. "I told you I had that photoshoot today for whatever Markus is doing, right? He told me it was a solo shoot. Just me."

"And?" She could tell by his tone that there was more to this story.

"I had to pose naked with-" Ulquiorra paused. Sometimes when he mentioned his modeling partner, she got growly and jealous. He couldn't really not tell her though. "Yui and I posed together. Then we went to get coffee afterward and she started flipping out on me about you."

Orihime was snarling inwardly. "Ulquiorra, I know you often take things very literally, at face value. That whole, 'the things that cannot be reflected in my eyes have no meaning' philosophy still follows you around sometimes, doesn't it?" She asked serenely.

He scoffed. "Tch. Maybe? What about it? Yui's been trying to get in my pants ever since I posed with her and I've told her time and time again that I was not interested."

She chuckled. "You may have mentioned that a time or two… But now she's becoming possessive of you. I'm sorry to tell you, but she's _not _your friend, Ulquiorra. She thinks she's your girlfriend. Or as good as your girlfriend, anyway. She sees me as a threat."

"I already have a girlfriend, and I'm talking to her right now," he said absently, wanting to get away from the topic of the other model.

Her heart melted. Before she could censor herself, a tiny "Aww," slipped passed her lips. She shook her head and cleared her throat and said, "Well, Yui doesn't care if that's true or not. And now I'm going to have to kill her for trying to force you into a fake relationship and for seeing you naked. Sorry Yui, it's been nice knowing you." She frowned at herself afterward, embarrassed for being so transparent.

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. The redhead amused him. "Yui wants me to take her to my show, and I told her I don't attend them. She got pissy… so if you do kill her, do it before opening night, yeah?"

She chuckled and sighed with a smile. "Ugh… so she is going to be there, huh? Might be a little awkward when I show up. Would it make things easier on you if I came with someone?"

"Do I need to rip someone's testicles off that night?" Ulquiorra asked. He didn't bother to mask the jealousy. "I was going to ask you if you wanted to be my date."

She blushed. "I do want to. But is it a good idea? I mean I guess if we meet there it's not really crossing the boundaries…"

Ulquiorra groaned. Not this shit again. She wouldn't even do a video call with him because it was still seeing each other. He thought it was a perfect compromise. "I was going to ask you to go to dinner beforehand but since you don't like that idea, we can meet at the gallery."

"Hey, don't put words in my mouth, I love that idea. I just don't think it's a wise one. Give me some credit; I know you're a good time."

"I'm not here to show you a good time. I'm here to be your friend," he stated flatly. "We can meet at the gallery. It's not a big deal. I probably wouldn't behave myself. Besides, Markus and his shit for brains crew are going. I'd love to walk in that gallery with you."

"Well, I could meet you outside. It would be a fabulous 'fuck you' opportunity to walk in arm in arm. I'm not bitter about what happened with Markus at all," she said with lots of faux innocence.

"Sarcasm suits you," he replied. Then his tone got serious. "I miss you, Woman. I know, just friends, but I do."

"You can be honest about how you feel, you know. We aren't _just friends. _We're just acting like it. I miss you too."

He nodded. Ulquiorra knew. "Come over," he murmured to her, turning the charm on and making his voice take on a seductive tone.

She groaned. "Laying it on a little thick, aren't you?" She chuckled and said, "I was never one of your conquests you know. You never had to use any game with me. You had me with "_Yo__u hold the rope to the guillotine that hangs over your friends' necks," _or however you put it." She burst into good-natured laughter before she could finish.

HMPH. Here she was mocking him again. It always happened when he tried this tactic. "You gotta tell me if I lay it on thick," he replied. Ulquiorra smirked at himself. It was corny, but it seemed fitting. "I was stupid as an Arrancar, so disregard anything I said then."

"I will do no such thing! You were, on occasion, my biggest cheerleader as an Arrancar. You were the only person to recognize my power. You were the only person who thought I was not inferior to Kurosaki and the others. You believed in me when I didn't believe in myself…" she was getting lost in memories. "You made me stronger."

Ulquiorra had heard this from her before. It made him shake his head every time she said it. He decided to distract Orihime. "You know, you might be able to see my new tattoos in that ad campaign. Unless I can show you a preview of them before it comes out."

"As long as it's not on your penis feel free to send me a pic," she said.

He laughed. "I guess, you'll have to wait then."

"WHAT?! You got a tattoo on your dick?! Does it still work?!"

"I've offered to show you that it works many times," Ulquiorra replied. He smirked again at the little whine she did. "No, it's on my upper thigh, really close to it. It requires me to take off my jeans and underwear to see it."

She harrumphed. "I guess I'll just have to wait then."

"Can't say I didn't offer to share."

"Guess not." She sighed contentedly. "Ulquiorra?"

"Hmmm, Woman?" he replied.

"I— I know it's not very friendly to say, but I love you."

His face got warm as he listened to her. This woman did strange things to his brain and his nerves and his endorphins. She was a feel-good drug in the form of a person. "Fuck being friends, Orihime."

She smiled. When she responded, it wasn't lecturing or heavy-handed. Her tone was the same as before. "No. We need to be friends and lovers. We have to get the friend thing down first. We're getting there; I just wanted to remind you why. Well, and I just wanted to tell you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

Thanks for reading! If you like what you've read, please leave a review. More reviews = quicker updates!


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER 16: Friends**

Ulquiorra stopped at Markus' studio to get his suit. Uryu had left explicit instructions on what he was to do and he had better not screw it up. He wasn't happy when he got home and saw the overly long white buttoned oxford shirt and black leather trousers. It was all topped off with a fucking green long sweater. Who in the fashion world decided Markus had a sense of style because to Ulquiorra he didn't. The blond was fashion dumb.

As he read the Quincy's instructions, it told him that he was to put on the shirt then the sweater and somehow show off his forearms. By pushing or rolling the sleeves up. Then he was to put on eyeliner and style his hair.

He looked at the outfit in the mirror and decided to leave the sweater in the garment bag. The olive green color did nothing for his pale complexion and since it was still summer, it was too fucking hot for it.

The tunic looking oxford did him no favors but he rolled up the sleeves, thinking it'd make more sense to just make the sleeves half-length; it would save on costs.

Ulquiorra texted Orihime a picture of himself before he left his apartment, notifying her that he would be at the gallery soon.

Orihime spent the day of the gallery opening at home fretting. She wanted to wear something from her new collection, but was nervous about how it would be received, especially by Ulquiorra.

She also wanted to fix her hair. The black streaks had to go. She wasn't grieving anymore. She called a friend who was a stylist apprentice and asked her to come over. An hour and half later, and about two shopping bags full of black hair trimmings, and much of the black had been thinned and trimmed out of the longer layers of her hair. It wasn't as noticeable as before, and then the stylist did a color stripping treatment to lighten what was left. It was still darker than the rest of her hair, but it was much more subtle. She was satisfied for now.

After her hair was done she went to her room and stared at the pieces of her collection that she had brought home. It was a winter collection and it was currently August, which presented a bit of a challenge. Oh well, no one but Aki had seen any of it yet. She went for the lightest piece, a long white dress shirt with a military collar. She tried it on and shook her head. It wasn't what she wanted to show him.

She went for the next piece. It was a little obvious, but it should definitely get Ulquiorra's attention. It was a plain black strapless dress with a straight neckline highlighted by a white band. It was made out of a very light, soft fabric that fitted her form from bust to hips and flared out very slightly over her legs. Another white band encircled her hips like a low-slung belt. There was a sheer black underskirt that was visible in front where the dress parted in a keyhole cutout right under her crotch, with more white banding along the hem of the main skirt. The entire dress was a replica of the one she had worn in Hueco Mundo, in a negative color scheme, and without the unseasonal cape thing.

She was confident in the design. She wasn't confident about the reaction if would get from Ulquiorra. She hoped he would appreciate it for what it was and not take it in some kind of bad way.

She even took out and polished her old hair clips, fastening both of them just above her right ear in a crisscross fashion, just peeking out from under her hair.

She was out of time and it was time to go.

Ulquiorra stood outside of the gallery smoking a cigarette and talking with the owner of the place. This building was much more minimalist and simplistic in design than the gallery he'd previously shown in. The light wood floor and white walls did his art a favor. The lighting was just right so he didn't have to pick and choose where which painting went, saying a particular painting couldn't go there because it didn't look right.

He was just about to finish his smoke when he saw Orihime turn the corner, walking towards him. She looked stunning but he couldn't help think how much better the dress would have appeared if the colors were reversed. Ulquiorra met her before she even reached the gallery doors, looking at her. His eyes traveled from her face down her body and down to her toes.

"Woman," he said to her.

"Ulquiorra," she responded, pleased by his reaction, smiling up at him.

His hand came up and he used the surface of his knuckles to caress her face. "I see you liked my fashion sense," he said, only marginally stopping himself from kissing her.

She blushed at his touch and her eyes dropped demurely. Then, as he asked his question, her eyes lit up and returned to his. "You? Your fashion sense?" She found it hard to believe what he was implying.

A half-smirk crosses his face. "I hand picked everything for you. It was my responsibility."

She beamed at him. "You have excellent taste," she said, turning toward his side and threading her arm through his. "You ready?" She asked.

"I'm not but I'm already fashionably late to my own party." He smiled at her. The gallery had been open for an hour: Markus and his band of idiots showed up about fifteen minutes ago. He bid the owner a farewell for now and allowed Orihime to enter the building first.

She crossed the threshold and waited, scanning the area. She could see the back of Uryu's head. She was feeling a bit anxious, hoping Ulquiorra would hurry up and join her.

He followed directly behind her after putting his cigarette out. Ulquiorra had told Yui that he didn't attend his own shows but what was he doing? Making an appearance with his ex-girlfriend. It was mostly a fuck you to Markus and the other model. Placing his hand on the small of her back, Ulquiorra smiled at Orihime. "C'mon beautiful," he said.

She glowed at his words and allowed him to direct her movement. It wasn't long before murmurs began.

The whispers didn't bother him. He'd heard rumors about himself before. Ulquiorra smiled at people and nodded, ignoring the scandalized glances, gossiping humans, and the sounds of camera shutters going off. They were definitely going to be in the magazine and fashion blogs later.

Uryu was first to approach them, nodding to Ulquiorra and putting his hands on Orihime's shoulders and air-kissing her cheeks. "I didn't know you were coming, Boo!" he said with false cheer, giving her a discreet warning glance. "Um, is this from your new collection?"

She smiled at him in a practiced manner. "Yes, thanks for noticing."

It was difficult for him not to get jealous. He knew Uryu had a boyfriend and that the man was gay but still it was a struggle. "That sweater was too much and I looked like a mom of four who woke up late, trying to get her kids off to school," Ulquiorra said to the Quincy.

Uryu honestly didn't care. He was beginning to tire of Markus' diva moments. He didn't even think Markus was that talented. He was merely attracted to him and riding his star. He was sick of being treated like a peon at times and a go-between always. "I really don't give a shit if you burn those rags," he whispered, leaning in toward Ulquiorra's ear.

"Ha," Ulquiorra laughed. "I plan to. I'm glad I only have a month of that contract left and then I can take my woman and crawl back into the hole I emerged from."

Orihime blushed at the endearment and the implied meaning of his words.

"So, you two are back together? I'm not home much, but it seems like you're still sleeping at home, Hime. What's the deal?" he asked, mildly curious.

"We're taking it slow…" she offered as a tentative explanation.

"We're talking, not that it's any of your business." Ulquiorra huffed. "But like she said, we're taking it slow and just enjoying our friendship."

"You don't look like friends to me. Just sayin'," Uryu said before turning around and returning to his group.

Ulquiorra turned and looked at Orihime. "What does he mean by that?" He asked her.

"He means he thinks we look like a couple," she translated.

He shrugged one shoulder. "Fuck 'em if they can't handle it," he replied. "Would you like to see the fruit of our heartbreak?"

"Sure. I'm already wearing some," she said cheerfully, although she was somewhat worried about what she might see.

Twenty-five paintings done by him were scattered around the open room. Most of them were abstract nonsense he had churned out in a drunken and enraged haze. He'd done the paintings of bloody Nnoitra, Grimmjow in his release state and himself as a bat, after being pierced by the crystal tree. Some of the paintings were self portraits and there were two triptychs. Only three of the paintings featured Orihime. The Woman and the Moon, Midori No Ai and a painting of her hand and hair intertwining.

"I don't know what I was expecting, she said softly after looking at everything. I'm relieved to see The Woman and the Moon survived though," she sighed deeply, patting his arm. "I am really sorry about what happened to us," she added, looking up at the painting.

"It had to happen and I'm glad that it happened sooner rather than later down the road when our lives were more tangled." Ulquiorra gave her a sad smile. "It is what it is."

He was right, she realized as she nodded back in silence, catching a glimpse of his bittersweet smile and pushing down a strong urge to kiss those lips. She couldn't look away from them.

"What?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Nothing," she murmured dreamily, the corners of her lips pricking up and her cheeks dusting pink. She still didn't break her gaze.

Ulquiorra smirked. "Hey, uh, Woman. My eyes are up here," he teased. "If you want, I can take you back to that private room that is waiting for me. I can give you the green room treatment."

She narrowed her eyes as they found his. "How many times have you done that, that you have a name for it?" She smirked and looked back at the art.

"I never have done that. You'd were the first person who I ever let back there to meet me," he murmured, leaning closer to her ear. "We could leave right now… Go to your place… or mine."

She shivered involuntarily. "Don't tempt me, heathen!" She laughed and added, "We have more fuck yous to dish out, anyway. Speaking of which…". Her voice trailed off as she looked past Ulquiorra to see Yui approaching from across the room wearing a confused expression.

"Shit." He saw the woman coming towards them. While she looked confused, Ulquiorra could tell Yui was mad by the hard line of her mouth and the way she had her arms crossed over her barely there chest.

"Murcielago! Hello, Inoue." Yui's greeting was polite… In fact it was far too polite. The smile that she let spread over her face was too wide to be comfortable. "I thought you said you weren't coming Murcielago?"

Ulquiorra shrugged. "I decided at the last minute to invite Orihime along."

"Ah," Yui commented. "That's such a nice dress Inoue. It fits your _curvy _frame well."

Orihime fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Why thank you, Yui. It really does take a certain amount of flesh to pull this look off, doesn't it?" She laughed self-deprecatingly. "It's nice to see you. You look a bit tired though. I know Markus can be a slave driver but don't be afraid to say no to him. Uryu can keep him in line," she added with another laugh and a fake-ass grin. "I see he tried to dress you like a soccer mom, too. Murcielago had to edit his outfit for the same reason."

"Well I'm tired because I have work. I'm in demand," Yui answered. Her tone was snotty. She laid a hand on Ulquiorra's chest. "After our new ad comes out, Murcielago and I will have even more work to do together."

Orihime flinched just enough for Ulquiorra to feel it through his hand although it wasn't visible. "Is that so? Well enjoy it while it lasts, sweetie. You know how things go. Are you going to audition for more prominent designers after the next collection comes out or are you going to ride Markus' train until it peters out?" She spoke as if she and Yui were just a couple of girlfriends gossiping.

The other model gave a strained smile. "Oh I'll go wherever Murcielago goes. We look so good together, isn't that right?"

Ulquiorra sighed. "I'm not modeling anymore after my contract with Markus is up, Yui. I only did it for Orihime. She doesn't model anymore so what's the point? Modeling takes a lot of time I don't have. I could be focusing on her and our relationship."

In an instant Yui's face fell. "Oh. I see." Without another word, the model turned and left, quickly walking to the other side of the room where Markus stood.

The artist looked at Orihime for a moment. "Was I too blunt? Too harsh?"

"No, you were perfect," she said, wrapping her hand around his elbow and giving it a squeeze. "I was too much, though," she said with a cringe.

"Never. You could be so extra and it still wouldn't be enough. She deserved every word you told her," Ulquiorra replied. He looked over at Yui who was talking animatedly to Markus and his assistants. "I'm going to have to go over there soon and talk to him. Do you want to wander around while I do that?"

"Sure. I mean, I could come but I don't want to make things awkward for you. Besides I can show off my dress I guess."

He brushed the back of his hand across her bare shoulder. "It's a beautiful dress… Such a shame it's gonna be on the floor later," Ulquiorra said with a smile. He picked up her hand and kissed the knuckles. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

He left her standing there blushing and stunned. She watched him walk away and felt the need for a drink. They were still supposed to be following this 'friends only' charade. They hadn't talked about him taking her home. She found the idea difficult to resist.

A man passed by with a tray of sparkling wine and Orihime took one, sipped on it, and began a lap around the gallery.

Ulquiorra joined Markus' little entourage, giving the designer a baleful look. "I'm here," he said petulantly.

"Murciela-Where is the rest of the outfit?" Markus squealed.

He rolled his eyes. "It's at home. This outfit is horrendous. You have Yui looking like a English school marm and I would have looked like a frumpy soccer mom had I put that thing on." He was stealing Orihime's words and didn't care. "Besides, it is too damn warm for sweaters."

"Psht." Markus scoffed. "I see you walked in with Inoue… Are you two an item again?"

"Somewhat, not that that is any of your business."

In the expected diva fashion, Markus waved a hand. "I have someone who wants to meet you. They run a-"

"I don't care. I've fulfilled my contract with you. I've done all my appearances and once the naked ad runs, I'm done." Ulquiorra said in a dull voice.

"Darling, if you're back with Inoue, I can have her-"

"She's not interested. She will be focusing on her own designs which is what she should have been doing from the start, not catering to your whims."

"Of course you would say that."

"Enjoy the refreshments, Markus. Heaven knows you only come to these things for the free shit." Ulquiorra turned and walked towards the redhead that was talking to some people.

* * *

The gallery show would run for the entire month but Ulquiorra had sold all of the paintings except for one. He was listening to the owner talk about cuts and percentages but he didn't care. The Woman and The Moon would be coming back home with him. He bid the man goodnight, eager to find Orihime. He didn't have to look far.

She stood in a group of four or five acquaintances chatting about the art and their current projects. Most of them were only talking to hear themselves speak, but at least Orihime and one other showed genuine interest.

Her interest shifted, however, when she heard him address her.

"Woman," he said. For a moment, he didn't say anything, admiring her form. He reached for her elbow, grasping it, making her turn toward him. "We have a reservation for a late dinner."

"Oh?" she asked, raising a brow at him. The sparkling wine had caused her to be much more open to suggestion. "I don't know how I could have forgotten."

He took her hand, and they walked out of the building. He turned to her once they started strolling down the sidewalk. "Orihime, I lied. We don't have reservations anywhere but if you'd like to pick a place, we'll go there and eat. My treat… A first date of sorts for us."

A smile spread slowly across her face as she thought about what he said. "Actually, I think this would be a first date _for real _for us," and giggled. "Hmm… do you like shabu shabu?"

He nodded. "Is that what you want?"

"Yes!" She nodded, and looked down at her feet, still smiling. He was holding her hand and they were walking down the street together, not running to the nearest dark corner for a naughty assgrab or something like that. It was nice.

Ulquiorra used his free hand to look up the nearest restaurant that served what she wanted to eat. There was one rather close by so it didn't take them long to travel the couple of blocks to the place. When they were seated in a booth, Ulquiorra looked at Orihime. She was blushing and had a goofy grin on her face. It made him scowl for a moment so the creases on his forehead, between his eyebrows showed up. "Are you drunk or merely tipsy?"

"Neither. I didn't finish my first glass. I'm-" she blushed and looked down again.

"You're what? Happy?"

The smile on her face grew wider, and he could see the apples of her cheeks ball up. "Yep."

He chuckled. "Do you plan on going back to modeling?" Ulquiorra asked. He had a reason for asking this question.

"Not especially. If someone offered me a gig I would consider it but it's not a career path I want to pursue."

Ulquiorra nodded his head. It was time to own up to what happened and what he did. He reached out for her hand, hoping she would take it. "You know, I love you Orihime. We've been talking constantly for almost 2 weeks now. I'm happy that we can be friends. I hope it continues and grows. Maybe next time we happen to hang out, we can catch a movie or get coffee. I told you that night at the club that I wanted to talk and I wasn't sure of what I wanted to say then but I am sure now."

She took the hand that he offered and listened until he paused, watching him intently. "What do you want to say?" she asked when he didn't continue.

"There are times that I, uh, wish that I could be a hollow again but I can't. You knew what I was like as one. I was a smooth talker. I mean how else could I get a teenager to come with me?" Ulquiorra smiled at her. "I'm a human though and I have an irrational brain. I'm not a level-headed Espada any more. Though, to be fair, when you came into my life, things got skewed a bit."

Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I regret what I said and what I did to you. I should have thought about things in a logical manner before jumping to conclusions. It was because I screwed up. I only considered my own feelings. I should have taken yours into account also and I didn't. I apologize for that. I apologize for everything."

"I was selfish. I was scared. I want you back. I want to wake up beside you. I love you."

She squeezed his hand. "I love you, too, but I'm glad you're not hollow anymore. I mean, there are a lot of reasons but the first one that comes to mind is that it would be kind of awkward to be able to look through a guy's chest to see the ceiling light during sex, but I digress," she said, trying to break the tension he had built with his confession. She smiled and sighed then, adding, "I apologize too, for not trusting you enough to tell you the truth, even while demanding your trust. Please know that I never meant to deceive or trap you. My intention was to protect you from unnecessary stress. I realize though, now, that it wasn't fair; it wasn't something I should have decided on my own. I hope you'll forgive me."

"It took two months but I realize that now. I said some pretty shitty things to you and I am so sorry," Ulquiorra said, quietly, looking at their hands. "I want to do that with you though..."

"Hm? Do what?"

"That whole procreation thing."

She could hear her heartbeat in her ears, and she could smell copper. What he said was a game changer. It was hard for Orihime to swallow after everything that had happened, even after his confession and apology. She had to clear her throat several times, and found she couldn't look at him. "What did you say? Are you serious?" she eventually asked in a gravelly voice.

Ulquiorra frowned. Maybe he had said the wrong thing. "I didn't mean right now. But you know when we're back together or in the future, we can try?"

A tear fell onto the tabletop without her noticing. Another joined it. She nodded silently as several more littered the surface. She choked and couldn't speak, but she continued to nod, finally making eye contact with him again.

"Why are you crying, Woman?"

Her eyes widened in confusion and she shrugged her shoulders as she brought her free hand to her face and wiped her eyes as she sputtered, "I just can't believe it."

"Sometimes I can't either. It was a couple of days ago when I was talking to you that I realized it," he said to her. "I fucked us up, Orihime. I'm sorry."

"What made you realize?"

"Uh, well, I was laying in bed after, I, ya know," he said and blushed. Ulquiorra looked away from her for a moment. "And realized I would do anything for you. I gave you my heart once and I figured I could give it to you again and the rest of my world to make you happy."

Orihime needed a minute to process what he was saying. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. It sounded to her like a desperate plea. She could understand that. She felt similarly. It bothered her somewhat that he would appeal to her instincts though when from what he said his only motivation for doing so was to placate her. She wasn't angered, but she was cautious. She finally screwed up her thoughts into something coherent and looked up at him with a small smile. "Don't put yourself in a position where you'll end up regretting your words or feeling forced to go along with something you think I want that you are not sure about. If you do, I'm afraid we'll end up where we were two months ago."

Ulquiorra did not understand. He was offering her what she wanted, why was she shooting him down? The confusion showed on his face. "I'm not understanding. I'm not forcing myself to do anything. I want to be happy with you. If being a mother would make you happy I would do it in a heartbeat."

She smiled at him warmly. "I know that's what you mean. But I don't want you to do it if it's not something you want for yourself.."

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow. "It is something I want but not right now. Soon though." He decided to change subjects just in case they started arguing about little trivial things. "I sold every painting except for the original painting I did."

She rose her eyebrows, "That's wonderful, congratulations!" She was grateful for the change of topic as well. She didn't think she'd be able to recover from that bombshell on her own. "I wonder what kind of person wanted the bloody Nnoitra though," she said with a look of distaste.

"Probably some young CEO wanting to show off how edgy they are," he replied. "Do you have a favorite painting that I've done?"

"Do you mean of all time or just this show?"

"Both? Either? I want to paint something for you, maybe you can hang it over your bed." Ulquiorra was nervous because he'd never offered to paint something for someone.

Her heart swelled, and it showed on her face. "Yes, I do. I mean, I have a soft spot for your original painting because of its personal history for us, but it'd be weird to have a painting of myself. I'm not royalty or something," she said with a laugh. "I don't know if you were watching at the first show of yours that I went to, but there was an abstract piece that really grabbed my attention. I felt so peaceful looking at it."

He tried to remember what he had painted but eventually had to get his phone out and swiped through the photos on it. Ulquiorra only had painted a couple of abstracts for that art show. Ulquiorra handed his phone to her. "Tell me which one," he said.

She took the phone and swiped through the pictures. He could tell immediately when she got to the one that she liked; her features relaxed and an easy smile played on her lips. "This is it. I found it so gentle and soothing compared to the others. I really was fond of it," she said, handing him his phone back displaying a picture of the abstract black and white painting with turquoise and orange swirling through it.

"Ah this one." He was rather fond of that painting too. Ulquiorra thought it reminded him of his uniform in Hueco Mundo. It also reminded him of Orihime and all the colors she had brought to that bleak landscape. "I'll paint you something, Woman."

"Yeah?" she smiled, wondering what had brought this on. She decided wondering was stupid when she could just ask. "What brought this on?"

"I have to have a reason to do something nice for you?" Ulquiorra asked.

She laughed. "No, I was just wondering. I'm looking forward to seeing it." She leaned back into her seat and sighed, looking at him with a face that clearly showed she was thinking things over, considering possibilities. She looked happy.

Ulquiorra mimicked her stance, showing that he was at ease. Although his face showed he was calm and relaxed, his thoughts were a jumbled mess in his head. "I have to keep The Woman and the Moon. I talk to it everyday. I did it before you came back into my life and when we… When we broke up, I started to do that again. It sounds fucking crazy, I know but since you're not around me anymore-I sound insane. I guess what I'm saying is I really miss you."

"It doesn't sound crazy. I miss you too. If I had something to hold onto I would probably speak to it too . As it was, Uryu was so worried that he started sleeping at home again. I was really not doing well… I think he considered having me hospitalized at one point but I talked him out of it. He really is a worrywart."

The man sat up straighter and looked at her, his expression darkened. Had what he said and what he had done affected her that much? "Orihime, are you-Are you serious? I didn't-Fuck." Ulquiorra left his side of the booth and went to sit next to her. He grabbed her hand, pressing kisses into the back of it. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Seeing him so distraught over her made her heart ache. She pulled his body toward her and rested her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry. It's just… the thought of losing you, _again, _was too much. I was sure I wouldn't get a third chance. And seeing the reminders of how we were all over town didn't help things. The pictures were so beautiful…" she trailed off, feeling her throat constrict at the bitter memories.

He promised to be good; to behave but it was hard because she was now touching him. He let one of his hands trail down the side of her face the he pulled slightly back, looking at her. He studied everything he could about her. The way her hair looked now; the curve of her jaw; the way her lips looked under the lights in the restaurant; those deep and dark eyes. How could Ulquiorra think to push away this human who he'd fallen in love with? "I don't want to let you go, Woman. The moment you say we're back together you're going to be living with me. I am going to make love to you… May I kiss you?"

Her cheeks colored, and before she could think better of it she nodded. Although she wasn't sure about jumping back into it with him so suddenly, for the sake of their future, at this moment she couldn't deny him a kiss that she wanted so desperately.

His breath hitched and Ulquiorra tilted her head up with gentle hands. Was he doing the right thing? Could he just limit himself to a kiss? He brought his mouth closer to hers, feeling the soft rush of the air coming out of her mouth against his face. Swallowing, he brought his lips to hers, tenderly nipping the bottom one before completing the lip lock, pressing his mouth to hers fully.

She closed her eyes and her breath began to shake as tears welled around the rims of her eyelashes. She leaned into the kiss for just a moment before pulling back. She expected to feel emotional, but she didn't expect her reaction to be this extreme. The intensity was alarming. She opened her eyes and found his closed. She brought a soft hand up to his cheek and brushed the surface of his cheekbone with the pad of her thumb, then her other hand came to rest on his other cheek, and she knelt up on her knees to rest her forehead against his, holding his face between her hands, breathing his breath as she struggled to regain hers.

Tears burned behind his eyes. This emotion was overwhelming. It was too much. His throat constricted. This wasn't supposed to be this intense. It was supposed to be a kiss. Ulquiorra opened his eyes halfway to peek at her when he felt her head touch his own. He wanted to talk to her; to tell her anything. "I-" Ulquiorra couldn't even finish his words because he was so wrapped up in his emotions for this woman.

He could feel it too. Whatever this was, this powerful thing that seemed to wrap around them, had each of them too humbled to speak. Orihime took a deep breath, his scent filling her lungs and making her weaker still, then simply whispered, "I know. Me too."


	17. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER 17: A Tentative Date**

When the naked fragrance ad ran almost a week later, most critics tore apart Markus and his venture. Yui looked dismal in her outfit, and they said that the use of using Murcielago who was inked from neck to thighs was tacky. Ulquiorra's facial expressions came across as bored while Yui tried her best to convey a brainless twit. Ulquiorra had not seen the proofs from the campaign just what he saw on billboards and in magazines.

He had smelled that scent. It smelled like someone mixed together with hot hippie with douchebag and cat piss.

His agent sent him the entire thing though. He looked like a damn thug. The birdcage tattooed above the cherry blossom was too dark against his pale skin. The orange swirls that decorated his upper thigh and part of his ass were too bright, standing out too much against the droll background. In one picture there was even the hint of the words, "I reject," in kanji across the underside of his wrist.

After the scene in the restaurant, Ulquiorra didn't trust himself around her. He wanted to be with her too much to be _just friends_. He texted her on her birthday and had a bouquet of flowers sent to her apartment. She invited him out to celebrate with her and some friends, but he declined, saying that he would monopolize her time and everyone would hate him for it.

The news about their recoupling spread through the fashion world like fire. The news was included in some celebrity blogs. It wasn't anything big, but people speculated why Murcielago supposedly broke it off with Yui and got back together with his ex. Ulquiorra didn't even bother correcting anyone anymore. It took too much of his energy and time trying to tell people they were wrong.

_\- You see it yet?_

He sent the text message to Orihime.

_Which one? o.O_

Her reply had been silly, but she was serious. There was a lot to deal with in the space of a week. Her phone had been buzzing non-stop after over two months of silence. She was interesting again, apparently. She declined most of the offers she received to model. However, she was desperately short on cash. She accepted a few small jobs. She had a birthday. She worked on her collection. She said, "no comment" from unsolicited callers. She texted Ulquiorra.

It was always the highlight of her day.

She understood why he had backed off after their date. They had both become very emotional and although they didn't talk about it explicitly, they knew neither would be satisfied being "just friends" after that if they were face to face. It was was all a farce at this point anyway. They were never just friends.

Their artificial friendship was starting to bear fruit, though. Orihime knew what was coming with the fragrance ad campaign. She had been warned by Ulquiorra and Uryu. She had been dreading it. However, when it came out, she merely laughed. She saw him stand there with that willowy tart and laughed. When did Yui lose her ability to model? She looked like a hack! Ulquiorra looked completely disinterested in what was going on. She didn't feel threatened by the pictures at all.

Well, a bit. She couldn't stop staring at his ass. She couldn't stop staring at his new ink, trying to infer the meaning of the things she could see and struggling to piece pictures together to make a clear picture of the tattoos that were not completely visible.

She knew better than to ask, though. It was too soon. Wasn't it?

She had accepted a gig to model something for Zerge, who was putting together an ethnically-inspired spring collection. Zerge didn't pay much, but he and Orihime had been friendly for a few years. Uryu had also been roped into doing the shoot; he had only modeled twice before, and it was during his first year in college. It was a fun shoot. Most of the pictures looked kind of like travel catalog pictures to Orihime.

There were a few that were a bit more intimate though. When the pictures came out showing her and Uryu staring deeply into each other's eyes, hands on each other's shoulders, she felt uncomfortable. She was sure the collection wouldn't get much of a following though. She wouldn't make an issue out of it if she didn't have to, and she had told Ulquiorra about the shoot, but when the pictures came out, Orihime thought she out to give him a head's up.

_\- IDK. The ad. The tattoos. The scathing remarks about Markus. LOL, I'm dying over them. The gossip blogs. Take your pick. What's your schedule for this week? Movie, maybe?_

Ulquiorra figured she would say what she said every time he asked her out. She would give him an LOL or laugh then a cheery "just friends!" would be said.

She saw his response. There was a lot to answer. She had a lot to tell him. Calling would be more efficient.

_You free? I'd prefer just to call you if you're not in the middle of something._

Even if he were in the middle of something, Ulquiorra would drop it just to respond to her. He called her, greeting her with, "I am never busy for you, Orihime."

She giggled. "Aw, you are a sweetie. Well, I was reading your text and thought there is a lot to talk about, and I have some things to tell you and thought this would be more efficient, to call, I mean," she took a breath and got right into it. "Um, yeah… I saw the ad. Markus has clearly lost his touch. What was the shoot like?"

He laughed. "Uh, stressful. It was supposed to be just me, and I read a review of the ad where it says he should have used one of us, not both. I mean tensions could have run high because of me. I was pissed off that day."

"Oh yeah? How come?" she was a sucker for industry gossip. She couldn't help herself.

"I told you this. Markus lied and brought Yui along. I think it was a tactic to make us seem more like a couple. I don't know. I've gotten offers to model with you in the past week. I said no."

"Me too. I didn't respond to them though; they went to voicemail. Anyway, Markus… What happened to him? How the mighty have fallen. When I saw the pictures, I had to laugh. You and Yui looked like you hated each other, which is really saying something. She usually looks like she is completely in love with you. This campaign really fell flat. There was _one_ thing I liked about it though - scratch that - there were a few things I liked."

"Let me guess… My backside?" Ulquiorra answered. "It's okay, one of these days you're gonna get to grab it again."

She had been caught out. She burst into a peal of laughter. She caught her breath a few moments later and said, "Well, not _only_ that. I'm curious about your new tattoos. I've been trying to figure them out on my own, but I'm going to have to see them in person," she sighed happily. "Anyway, the gossip blogs _are_ pretty rabid. I've been getting more questions about us than I have been getting offers, and I have been suddenly getting a lot of offers."

Oh. Oh. She wanted to see his new tattoos. That would be bad. "Orihime," he said, letting his voice drop to a murmur. "C'mon. You can't say things like that. I'll tell you about them if you want."

"No, I want to wait," she answered quietly. "Sorry… I just… I want it to be like last time." She could feel the tension over the line and decided a change in subject was in order. "Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I did that shoot for Zerge a few days ago with Uryu. It went well, but I doubt it will get any traction. Still, I wanted to give you a heads up, some of the pictures turned out better than expected."

He cleared his throat. "That's good, isn't it? I mean things are looking up for you since, you know," Ulquiorra commented.

"Oh yeah, for sure, it's just… I remember how I felt when I saw your first couple campaigns with Yui. I don't want you to feel the same way," she said. There was a soft insinuation in her words.

Ulquiorra was silent for a moment. "You don't love him as you love me. I can deal with it."

She smiled, feeling relieved. "Okay, I just didn't want you to think I was being sneaky or anything. You're right, you know."

"Someone alert the news. I'm right about what?"

"I don't love him like I love you."

"If you did, I could always rip off his hand again." Ulquiorra chuckled.

"Well, look at that! Personal growth," she teased. "I don't think you really needed a reason last time," she giggled. "What's playing?"

Playing? Oh, she meant the movie… "Uh, I got this movie… Called, let me find it." He rummaged around his desk for a few minutes trying to find the DVD case. "I can't find it, but we can meet up at a theater."

Orihime was relieved. She didn't think going over to his place was a good idea just yet. She knew full well that once she went over there, it was game over. She'd be living there again. "That's what I had in mind, anyway."

"What don't like my ideas?"

"Umm, well, do _you_ think we're ready?"

That was a loaded question. Ulquiorra had to take a minute to assess his feelings. His body was telling him yes, they were absolutely ready. His mind and heart were telling him to give it more time. "You can invite some other people to come along," he said hastily.

"No," she said firmly. "I think we can handle a second date. I don't think we can handle one at your place though. As long as we're in public I think we'll be okay," she laughed nervously. "Anyway, I don't have any obligations this weekend… Are you free?"

"I'm free this entire week." Ulquiorra sighed. "I think we could be ready, but I'm not sure."

Her face fell. She took the phone away from her face so he wouldn't hear her sigh, then brought it back up and pasted a smile on her face. "Well that's fine, if you're not sure, we can do it another time then."

Her voice sounded a bit off. Ulquiorra knew that it was most likely because of his words. "I meant about us, not the date."

Oh. Hm. She misjudged that one. "Okay. How about Thursday?"

"Send me a text for what time and the place to be at," Ulquiorra replied.

"You got it. I'll let you go."

The week dragged its ass, and by the time Thursday came around, Ulquiorra was a nervous wreck. Things had to go right on this date. If they didn't then, he could probably kiss his chances with Orihime goodbye. He preened for this date, getting his hair trimmed. He took a shower and even groomed himself. He'd been letting the manscaping go since he and Orihime broke up.

She had texted him an address and a time, but he left his house early to walk around the neighborhood where the cinema was located. As the time neared, he waited outside of the place for Orihime to show up.

Orihime had been busier than she anticipated on Thursday. She had agreed to an interview by a fashion student about her new collection; word had gotten out that she had designed the dress she had worn to C. Murcielago's art show.

As a result, she was short for time when it was time to get ready for her date. It was a slightly cool day, so she showered and dressed in a jean skirt and a cropped long-sleeved graphic tee. She was dressed much, _much_ more casually than she usually did. Still put together, still in style, but not her usual all-in fashion choices. She pulled part of her hair back into a half-ponytail and wore minimal makeup. She put on a pair of old-school chucks at the door. She definitely looked younger than her now-twenty-three years.

She walked to where she had texted Ulquiorra to meet her just in time. Seeing him leaning against the building, she snuck up on him the best she could and surprised him with a wave and a "Hel-looooo!"

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow at the woman and her attempt at stealth. He glanced at her outfit and her appearance. He couldn't help think of that time in the stairwell. She was dressed almost exactly the same. He shook his head. It wouldn't be good to get himself riled up. "Hey, you decide which movie we're going to see?"

"You can choose between two. Action/Adventure or Romantic Comedy?"

"I'll go with the rom-com. Ladies like those don't they?" Ulquiorra replied with a smile.

She gave him a snide laugh. "Only if they are good, and then everyone actually likes them. So be it, though. Rom-com it is. Let's go," she said, leading the way, sparing a glance over her shoulder to smile at him.

Ugh, just her smile was making his resolve shake. What was she thinking to wear that? She had to have known an outfit like that would bring back memories. Didn't she own jeans or some kind of pants? Oh well. He'd had to endure it. He would sit a seat away from her. Ulquiorra followed her and paid for the tickets because he was a gentleman. He also knew most of Orihime's money had gone to her collection.

"Thanks," she muttered as he paid. Her financial situation was worse than she let on. She had a bit of pocket money that Uryu gave her. He was really acting like a sugar daddy these days but with no strings attached. The situation had to change soon.

Her face looked slightly stormy as she mulled over these unpleasant thoughts. "Do you want any snacks? My treat in return for the tickets?" she offered cheerfully after a minute.

"I'm treating my lady to a date. You don't pay for anything," Ulquiorra said as he put an arm around her waist, pulling Orihime close. "Just in case any cameras are around."

She laughed at his antics. "Well, in that case, may as well give 'em something to take a picture of," she said into his ear as she reached her hand down into the back pocket of his jeans.

"I beg your pardon, miss." Ulquiorra was teasing her as they stood in a small line for snacks. "If I knew you were going to get handsy I would have worn boxers. Easier access. I mean we can skip the movie." He smirked at her.

"That would be a waste of money at this point," she said. "I am only doing this for the benefit of the press," she said with a heavy dose of innocence.

He looked down at her with half-lidded eyes. Much more of this and he was going to check himself in a looney bin. Surely she knew she was driving him mad. Ulquiorra took her hand out of his pocket and threaded their fingers together. When the line moved, he walked ahead, pulling her after him.

She was really on cloud nine. Holding his hand and going on a real date; only her second real date like, ever; she was transported back to the ideals of her younger self. The self who had never seen war, the self who had never loved and lost someone not related to her by blood. She felt a surge of optimism, and every time he glanced at her, she couldn't help but beam a smile back at him.

As they made their way into the darkened theater, she started having suspicions that Ulquiorra was not quite sharing the same experience that she was.

He was just trying to behave and be polite. He didn't think that Orihime would like it if they were caught on camera doing stuff. He wouldn't care if they were caught he had to think of her. Ulquiorra shook his head as they sat down in the very last row of seats. He still had flashes of that fuckboy mentality. As soon as she sat down next to him, he moved over a seat.

She saw what he was doing and hissed before thinking, "What the hell? Do I stink or something'?"

Ulquiorra turned his head and looked at her. "No, you smell nice. I'm trying to be a good boy." He leaned over the empty seat and quickly kissed her. The touch felt like fire. "If I sit next to you…" He didn't want to finish that statement. He felt like a creep just for thinking it.

She felt the charge in his kiss and understood what he was trying to say. She sighed in defeat. "Alright, but just this once. I don't want the wrong kind of rumors to spread either, you know," she whispered as the previews started.

He felt even more like crap hearing her words, and with a sigh, he moved back into the seat next to her. Ulquiorra even gave her a side-eyed glance. "You're right."

She felt kind of guilty for forcing him to bend to her will, but she knew she was right. If they were being watched, sitting apart would be more interesting than anything else. "Sorry," she whispered. "I promise not to bother you during the movie," she said, burrowing down into her seat, both to get comfortable and to conserve body heat in the chilly theater.

Ulquiorra took off the hoodie he was wearing and handed it to her. He had on a long sleeved shirt underneath. The cold didn't really bother him. "I'm not making the same promise," he murmured, still looking at her from the corners of his eyes.

"I should hope not," she said under her breath as she slipped her arms into the sleeves of the hoodie and tucked the neck under her chin, using it as a sleeved blanket. The movie started, and she focused on the screen.

At first, his hand rested on the armrest between them then it casually dropped to her thigh. Ulquiorra's eyes never left Orihime's face as the movie started playing. He turned his head towards her, letting his nose nuzzle her ear for a moment before pulling away. He was going to see how far she would let him go.

Her jaw clenched, but she made no other indication that she recognized what he was doing as his hand was laid on her leg. When his nose found her ear though, she recoiled a couple of millimeters, then returned to her place of origin. "Not going to bother you, I said," she whispered through pursed lips.

"I'm gonna bother you though," he said to her. Ulquiorra let his hand inch higher up her leg and leaned closer to her again. "How much is it going to take for you to snap?"

"Not much!" she hissed, crossing her legs in the direction away from him.

With a smirk, Ulquiorra turned his head towards the screen. It was about time she got to experience what he felt every time he saw her whether it be in a picture or face to face and talked to her. "Okay."

Ooh, he was evil. If that's how he wanted to play, fine. Two could play at this game. She started innocently; kicking the foot that was crossed over her leg slowly. Just getting his attention from time to time. After a bit, she stretched and crossed her legs the opposite direction so that they were facing him, and after another minute the foot kicking thing started again, this time brushing against the fabric of his pants. No actual body to body contact, just the suggestion of it.

He was still watching her. He saw how her shirt rode up just enough to give him a glimpse of her stomach. Ulquiorra had to cross his arms across his chest to keep from dragging her out of her seat and into his. Then her foot would glance off his jeans. It was enough contact to make him want to shift seats again. After five minutes of this behavior, Ulquiorra let his hand drop to one of her knees, fingers making circles lightly on the area.

Orihime wasn't usually ticklish, but she was pretty tense, and the circles he drew were causing her to twitch, and in a short amount of time, she was forced to cover her mouth with one hand in an effort to muffle her laughter and was using her other hand to try to remove his hand from her knee.

He smirked as she squirmed in her seat but he let her remove his hand and returned all his limbs to his space. Ulquiorra knew that when they finally did come together, it was probably going to be better than the first time. He was expecting magic when it happened. He decided to focus on the movie; if she wanted to escalate things, it would be her choice.

* * *

When the movie ended, Orihime sniffled and wiped her eyes. It had been a tear-jerking story, and with all the turmoil in her romantic life throughout the last several months, she was particularly vulnerable to the emotional manipulation being employed by the director. She hugged Ulquiorra's hoodie to her chest before looking over at him to hand it back.

"Keep it," he said with a small smile. "I've got a painting of you to look at. You can have my hoodie, Woman."

"Aww," she said, clutching it to her as she stood up. "Are you sure? It's a really nice one. It doesn't seem like Markus had anything to do with it," she grinned down at him as he remained seated, then she twisted from side to side to loosen the muscles that had become stiff from sitting immobile for two hours and twenty minutes. Her spine popped loudly, and she sighed in satisfaction.

"Do you want to get going or do you want to sit here all night?" she asked with an awkward grin.

Ulquiorra let out the breath; he'd taken in a long exhale. He didn't want to leave her just yet. "Do you have something else planned or did you want me to walk you to the subway? Train station? Home?"

She looked around as if the interior of the theater might provide some inspiration. "I don't know, but we could just go for a walk? It's a nice night," she offered.

He nodded then stood and stretched his arms high above his head, giving her an eyeful of a strip of muscled skin when his shirt lifted above the waist of his jeans which as always were slung low on his hips. "A walk sounds great," he replied.

"Okay, let's go," she said, leading the way out of the theater, "I just need to stop at the restroom," she said on the way out. He nodded at waited in the lobby.

She went inside and checked out her face - she hadn't messed it up too badly with her crying. She did a bit of a touch-up and used the facility and smoothed out her hair, and was just about to leave when she heard a voice from behind her. "Inoue? Is that you?"

Orihime turned around. "Yes, and you are?"

"Misaki Nakamura, of Weekly Bunkasai. Can I ask you a few questions?"

"Actually, now's not a good time," Orihime said, making her way out of the restroom.

Ms. Nakamura was undeterred, following her out and to the lobby. "It will really only take a minute of your time. Are the rumors true that you and-" she stopped her question short when the man in question presented himself over Orihime's shoulder.

"Is this person bothering you Orihime?" Ulquiorra asked, glaring at the stranger.

Nakamura's eyes grew wide with excitement. "Oh! Mr. Murcielago! This is perfect," she said, taking out her cell phone and pressing a button. "What do you have to say to the rumors that you and Inoue are secretly married?"

The need to smack the device out of the woman's hand was growing. He shook his head and scoffed. "Inoue and I are not married. We're merely talking about the prospects of building a life together. I would _never_ secretly marry her. I would show my ring off if I were joined to this woman."

Orihime bit her lips. He had really done it now. She didn't mind, though. It was sweet. He could tell as much or as little as he wanted.

Nakamura, on the other hand, was like a shark who had smelled blood. "Is it true then that your tattoos, or at least some of them, are dedicated to her? Inoue's birthday is September 3rd, right? You have IX-III tattooed on you…"

Ulquiorra sighed. "My entire body is a dedication to her. Any other invasive questions you might have?"

"Have you severed ties with Markus? How did you break up with Yui?" Nakamura had absolutely no shame.

"I never was dating Yui, we were merely friends, and yes, I have. Markus was often difficult to work with; I lowered my standards to allow him to manipulate me," Ulquiorra stated, in a monotone voice. Inside his head, he was livid at this reporter. He grabbed Orihime's hand. "Come, Woman."

"It was nice meeting you!" Orihime called as she allowed Ulquiorra to lead her out of the building at a brisk pace. She didn't mean it. She just wanted to do a little damage control.

When they got outside, she didn't let go of his hand. "Do you want to take a walk through the park? Or just around here?"

He said nothing as he walked, putting distance between himself and that theater. The tension in his body was almost to a breaking point. He didn't like nosy people. He didn't like reporters who were like hawks, ready to snatch their prey from the ground. Finally, after a few blocks, Ulquiorra spoke. "I'm sorry if I assumed too much."

"You didn't. I was happy to hear you say it."

"Would you like me to escort you home?"

"Okay," she answered. He seemed to be disinterested in talking a walk for pleasure at this point.

They walked in the direction of her apartment, silent for a few moments. "I'm sorry. I'm frustrated. You know I don't like when people pry. Not that it matters. I said harsh things and people will think what they want about what I said. If people think that we're together-Nevermind. I'm talking out of anger. Friends," Ulquiorra said.

"I don't mind if people think we're together. I think we're together," she said as if it was only natural.

"That's our end goal, is it not?" Ulquiorra asked. "I don't want people to assume things about our relationship. I don't know what Yui told other people. She could have told them that we were dating each other."

"Would that be the worst thing? I mean, we're on a date."

He shook his head. "I mean I don't want them to assume that I "broke" up with Yui to be with you. That's not what happened."

"Ah, I see what you mean. Unfortunately, you're in the public eye. It's going to happen. Even if you weren't, people are going to be curious about you, Ulquiorra. You're enigmatic. Your neighbors and friends will think you're interesting. I think you're interesting. I want to know everything about you."

He raised an eyebrow and looked at the redhead. "You know me. I'm boring. I'm moody. I complain. I hate other people. I want them to leave me alone. I'm not interesting. I wasn't even interesting as an Espada. I was the trusty watch dog for Aizen. Look where it got me."

She looked at him sideways, appraising him. "Hmmmm… Is that your assessment? Would you like to hear mine?"

A nod. "But you're only going extoll how wonderful I am."

She laughed. "Oh boy. Hang on to your butt, Ulquiorra. This might be bumpy. When I first met you, I thought I had a chance to defeat you."

She waited for his inevitable ridicule.

He scoffed. "I gave the order to kill you. Yammy was supposed to do that, and he didn't. I'm glad he decided to play around with you all and waste time."

"Well I'm glad too, or we wouldn't be having this conversation. Anyway, after we met again in the dangai, I thought you were what you later told me you were. Empty. Just a hull without a soul. Nothing but a robotic puppet of Aizen's. We all know that ended up not being true."

"When we arrived in Las Noches, I began to notice it. Your peculiarities. Things would frustrate you. You were curious. Your thirst for understanding was insatiable. I admired it."

How had she nailed him down? He had masked all of that, schooled by decades of practice. "I cannot deny any of that. How did you figure it out?"

"It was the little things. The way you would tolerate my rambling instead of just backhanding me when I didn't want to eat. The way you tolerated me slapping you across the face. The way you would interrogate me about the heart. It spoke to me about your desire for truth and understanding about things you couldn't see; things that it seemed you thought I could teach you. That's how I knew. You weren't loyal to Aizen. You were your own being."

"I was responsible for your well-being, harming you would have gone against my orders. Had I physically attacked you, I would have killed you. We've discussed the slap. I could tolerate it or have you break your hand or wrist."

"Perhaps. However, you didn't have to take it all in stride. You could have intimidated me. You could have threatened my friends or used more psychological pressure on me than you did. Don't get me wrong, I mean, you were a total bastard, and you tried really hard to break me; I know that. But you could have been a lot worse. You could have been Nnoitra. You could have been worse than that. But the particular line of action you did take was what made the difference. It was all aligned with what I said about your curiosity. It all served to satiate it."

"I know about Aizen's final order to you. I know you disobeyed. I know you probably didn't care that much about what happened to me ultimately, but I think you cared a lot about me dying before you were able to find your answers. Do you think you found them?"

He shook his head. "How can you say I didn't threaten your friends when I ended Kurosaki's life twice? You should hate me. I was more than a bastard." Ulquiorra took a deep breath to calm himself down. "When it was being discussed who should be your caretaker Nnoitra offered. He said he could bend you to Aizen's will. He was disgusting. I would have never allowed it."

"There is a reason why I did not tie you down and force food down your throat, Woman. It wouldn't have stopped there. I would have satisfied my curiosity in the wrong way. I would have disobeyed Aizen's order. When I finally did go against what he said it was because he wanted me to let that stupid fuck just take you away. How was I supposed to do that when I still had no answers?"

"You weren't. I mean, if I think about things from your perspective, you couldn't. And about the threatening, I meant you didn't threaten me in an "If you don't do X I will kill Y" kind of way. Yeah, you killed Kurosaki. I don't know why you did it the first time. The second time… I can understand why. I didn't at the time, but I do now."

She sighed and stopped walking, looking at him. "All this is second to the fact that you were the most powerful hollow, perhaps ever. This in and of itself is fascinating. That you died in search of truth is poignant and somehow beautiful. The thought of it takes my breath away."

"I died because I fell in love with a human. I died using the only strength I had left protecting you," he said. It wasn't a bitter statement. "I don't regret what I did."

"You really felt love then?"

"I don't know what I felt. It was a strange emotion that I couldn't place. I knew I didn't want you to die. I knew I didn't want to die without feeling your hand in mine. I did though," Ulquiorra turned his head away from her. He didn't know why he was getting choked up about this.

Orihime hustled a pace and a half in front of him and faced him, stood up straight, and reached out her hand toward him. "Are you afraid of me?"

Ulquiorra stopped walking and looked at her; his eyes were red. "Do you want the truth?"

"Yes."

"I've always been afraid of you, Woman. I was afraid of what you represented. I was afraid that you wouldn't reach out to me and give me your heart. I was afraid in that gallery months ago that you wouldn't talk to me or that as soon as you saw that painting, you would leave. I was afraid you wouldn't forgive me. I'm afraid of you because I feel too much for you."

She smiled widely, closing the distance between them and taking his hand from his side, firmly planting it between both of hers. "Do you see the common thread through all of those instances? Apart from what I represent, each of your fears have been proven unwarranted. I did reach out to you. Although we never touched, I did give you a piece of my heart. I talked to you. I didn't leave. I forgave you. I feel for you every bit of what you feel for me."

Ulquiorra tilted his head back and looked at the night sky. He would not cry in front of her. He had an image to maintain in front of Orihime. He'd wait until he got home. Yet, a tear slipped out of his eye, which he scrubbed away with his free hand. "Why though?" he finally asked.

"The heart wants what it wants. I can't fight it. I don't want to. That's the cop-out answer, but it's the barebones truth. The next layer of truth and the one on top of that, and the hundred other reasons why I can tell you one by one. How many do you want now?"

"I love you, Woman." Ulquiorra pulled her closer and kissed her, just like he did at the restaurant. It was slow and sensual. When he pulled away from her, he struggled to catch his breath.

"I love you, Ulquiorra Cifer," she whispered when he pulled away.

"Let's get you home."


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER 18: Friends to Lovers**

Ulquiorra dropped Orihime off at her door later, refusing her offer to come in, kissing her at the door and going home. Orihime was only slightly disappointed; with as busy as she and Uryu had been lately there was not a lot of housekeeping or shopping being done, and it would have been a dusty welcome with nothing but tap water to drink.

She had a hard time falling asleep that night. She kept thinking about the kiss they shared during their walk and his concerns about her feelings. She hoped she had cleared things up for him, but she knew he had a tendency to fall into self-doubt at times. Still, thinking of the feelings brought about by that kiss and the one at the shabu shabu place after his gallery thing made her ponder. Obviously, their relationship had stronger foundations now than it had when they were starting out last spring, but the impact that foundation had on their connection seemed almost too strong. It was overwhelming. Before when they would kiss, she would inevitably think of sex. Now that was still there but more in the background. Now when they kissed it felt like there was a lot more on the line.

He got home quicker than expected. Probably because he ran part of the way, not bothering with taking the subway. It was only six kilometers or so that separated their homes. It was just a distance. They felt closer than ever though. It frustrated him to no end. Ulquiorra wanted to touch her. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to hold her, and her decree of being just friends put a limit on that.

Once he got inside of his apartment, making sure his door was secure, Ulquiorra walked over to his computer. He tapped one of the keys on the keyboard which brought the machine to life. Then he sat down in front of it. He knew from doing random searches that trying to search for hearts and love, and emotions all brought up ideas about the subjects. There were millions of results to choose from.

He typed her name into the search engine, then clicked on the image tab, seeing if there was anything new. Ulquiorra had a folder on his computer that was filled with pictures of her. Perhaps he was obsessed with her. Was obsession the same as love?

He then thought back to the newest tattoo he'd gotten done. Ulquiorra didn't tell her that he had it done. Commissioning the manga artist, he showed the woman a picture of Orihime and asked her if she could draw something for him… Days later, he had an almost perfect cartoonish sketch of her wearing the Arrancar uniform.

He was stupid. He was head over heels in love with her. He had been in love with her for a long time.

If he ever got the chance to show her, she'd probably freak out and run. What kind of person got the object of their affection tattooed on them? If he ever modeled again and people saw it, the gossipers would be rabid about it. Ulquiorra should have told her about it before this date. He should have asked for her permission before getting it. He did it because he wanted to look at her. He wanted to see her, and the painting he did wasn't enough. He did it out of love for her. He didn't expect anything in return. He wanted her company, time, and attention. He liked it.

With a sigh, he decided to show her… Once he was in his bedroom, Ulquiorra used his phone to make a video call. He stood in front of that mirror, shirtless holding the phone in front of his face.

Orihime was still awake, trying in vain to fall asleep when her phone rang. She saw that it was a video conference and turned it on although the room was dark. "Hello?" she answered in an alert voice. She hadn't been sleepy at all. She fumbled to turn on her bedside lamp and looked into the screen, smiling when she saw him.

"Hey," he said to her, tilting his head to the side so that she could see one eye and part of his mouth which smiled. Ulquiorra was looking at his screen. "Did I wake you up?"

"No, I was trying to sleep, but it wasn't happening. I couldn't stop thinking."

"I just got back here," Ulquiorra said. He sighed and decided to push on with this. "You know how I always get a tattoo after my paintings sell?"

"Mmhmm," she said, her eyes crinkling.

Ulquiorra reached over and turned on the lamp that sat on his dresser, illuminating the room and his body more. "I got a new one the day of your birthday. That's one of the reasons why I didn't go to the celebration."

"Oh? How many does that make, then?" she asked, rolling over onto her back.

"Twenty-five I think," Ulquiorra answered. "I wanted to show you the new one, but, it required me to take clothes off. I need to know something before I show you."

"What do you want to know?" she asked gently, the implication being he would not be refused.

The dark-haired man sighed. "You know every tattoo I have is somehow tied to you, right? What would you think if I got you...a picture of you tattooed on me?"

She smiled a slightly twisted smile, showing a bit of embarrassment, before admitting, "I would be flattered, I think. As long as it didn't make me look like a gremlin or something," she chuckled.

He used his thumb to flip the camera, so it faced him. "I figured I let you ogle me enough," he stated, holding the phone away from him. He held his right arm up and turned it so that she could see the underside of it. It was next to the owl and cat tattoo. The image showed a cartoonish version of Orihime standing against a dark background wearing the Arrancar uniform.

Orihime was stunned. It was a good, although unrealistic, likeness of her, very much evocative of Las Noches and how she looked there. It was lovely. It was her. It was _permanent. _ "Ulquiorra, I don't know what to say. It's beautiful."

"I know we just talked about stuff," he said as he walked over to his bed. "I got it because I want to look at you all the time. I want to remember back to that time I first met you. Some of the details are getting hazy. This was the best way I could think of to keep it fresh."

She smiled at him. Did he have any idea how sweet he was? How adorable? How much she wanted to wrap him up between her limbs and just let him live there? She inhaled sharply and sighed, "I love it. I love you. You know I can set you up with some pictures of me from high school if you're into that kind of thing."

She giggled for a second and waited for a response.

He threw his phone onto the bed before flopping down onto the soft surface and retrieved the device. "Uh, nah. I mean if I could talk you into wearing a school uniform in the future, maybe I'd be interested in some pics," he said with a chuckle. "Seriously though, you don't think I'm a creep?"

"No, I think you are sweet." She was serious, but still smiling.

"Want a look at the other tattoos?"

She rolled over onto her stomach and propped her phone up against her pillow. "Since we're already here, may as well, right? I've been anxious to see them."

The first tattoo he showed her was the easiest. On the underside of his left wrist was what she said to activate whatever powers she had. It had the kanji characters for 'I reject'.

"...I reject…" she read aloud, then looked at the camera in case he could see her. "Is there any significance to the placement?"

Ulquiorra shook his head. "Nope, just was somewhere that wouldn't be obvious. I mean I can just turn my arm and look at it any time I want. Other people won't know it's there."

She nodded. "Ok, how many new ones do you have besides those two?"

"Two more. The bird and the thing on my thigh." Ulquiorra moved the phone down and showed her the bird trapped in the ribcage hat was placed above the cherry blossom. It didn't have any color to it; it was just done in black and grays. After a few seconds, he brought the phone back up to his face. "Wanna see the last one now?"

"Sure!"

The phone dropped to the bed, and Ulquiorra disappeared. He stood up on the bed, out of sight of the camera and took off his jeans and his underwear. He then grabbed the phone, making sure to keep the thing aimed at the ceiling then walked back over to the mirror. With some care, he covered his dick with his free hand. Bringing the phone up, he flipped the camera again, so his reflection showed in the mirror.

Orihime gasped. It looked so much prettier under this light than it had in the pictures from Markus' campaign. "I thought it was flames… it's so much more dynamic and fluid than the pictures from the ad conveyed… It's really very lovely. What's it supposed to be?"

"Take a guess," he said as he turned around showing her how it wrapped around his upper thigh, hip and half of his left ass cheek. "It's not flames, Woman."

"Um, is it spirit energy?"

Ulquiorra flipped the camera around and gave her a deadpanned look. "Orihime. What could possibly be this color that pertains to you?"

"It's my hair?" she had thought it a possibility but thought it was too vain a thought to take seriously.

"Yes. My tattoo artist looked at me like I was insane when I told him what I wanted but it got done."

"You might be crazy," she said, studying his expression and smiling, hoping to get him to smile too.

He bit his lip as he walked back over to his bed, laying down carefully this time. He didn't want to give her any unexpected flashes. "I'm crazy about you," he said, with a small smile.

His smile may have been small, but it was a victory for her. "I don't mind," she said. "Ulquiorra, I think…" she paused, thinking it over again.

"You think what? Are you thinking about us? I had an idea," he replied.

"I was. What's your idea?"

"I'm going to give you your key back. When you want us to be together, use it."

"Can you give it to me now?" she asked in a small voice, partially muffling it in her blanket.

Ulquiorra sat up with a stunned expression on his face. Was she saying? What? "Orihime, what are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying I love you. I'm saying I don't want to be just friends anymore. I'm saying I want to be with you again."

"I'm coming back over… Tonight."

Her heart started racing. "I'll wait up," she replied breathlessly, her mind also racing; thinking about packing a bag or her life, she didn't care, she just wanted to see him.

* * *

By the time he ran the kilometers that separated them, Ulquiorra's chest was heaving. He was sweating. It took him a good five minutes to catch his breath. He knocked on Orihime's apartment door thirty-five minutes later. That's how long it took from him hanging up the call, getting redressed and running over there.

Orihime opened the door and stood before him in leggings and a t-shirt, her hair up in a messy ponytail. She dropped the bag in her hand and ran across the genkan, pulling him in by the collar.

Ulquiorra grabbed her by the waist, he didn't even bother to take his shoes off. Not that he gave a fuck. He was too preoccupied with what he currently had in his arms. She looked beautiful and relaxed. "Going somewhere," he asked, with a smirk before kissing the tip of her nose.

She sighed happily and answered, "I was thinking of going to my boyfriend's place but I think I'll just invite him to stay here tonight," she giggled and stepped backwards toward the living room, pulling him with.

"Stop. Shoes?" he questioned and pointed to his feet. Ulquiorra looked at her. "Or do you not want the Quincy to know I'm here?"

"He stopped coming home weeks ago and on the off chance he does, we're better off giving him a warning anyway. Shoes off!" She commanded.

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes and toed off his shoes, throwing them by the door, which they hit with a loud thump. "Now, important matters, before we get down to this," he stated. He reached into the pocket of the sweatpants he wore and pulled out the other key to his apartment, holding it out to her. "You want this back or nah?" A smirk played on his lips.

She reached for it, "Gimme!" She said, matching his playfulness,

He handed it over to her, slipping the piece of metal into her fingers. "Second order of business. I didn't bring _anything _with me." Ulquiorra gave her a leveled look, hoping she catch his meaning.

"Oh, I'm sure you could borrow whatever you need from Uryu…"

"So, your roommate is okay with you borrowing condoms? Do I have to use them?"

"Well, that depends. Have you slept with anyone since me?"

Ulquiorra looked at her then shook his head. "No one. I've become really acquainted with myself."

She smirked at him. "Then you don't need to borrow them. I'm still on birth control."

The green-eyed man nodded. "Okay, then. Lead the way, Princess."

Orihime felt a bit shy suddenly and just nodded, making her way to her room with her head down. She opened the door and stood inside, waiting for him to enter before shutting the door behind him.

He had never been inside Orihime's apartment much less her bedroom. He'd seen it in pictures but this was the first time he'd ever stepped foot inside. Looking around, Ulquiorra took everything in. After he was done with his observation, he turned and grinned at the redhead.

"What?" she asked, self-conscious. Her room _was _a bit untidy, but she had just been packing. It wasn't that bad. And yeah, her place wasn't the huge loft Ulquiorra had, but it was a nice place and the rooms were a nice size. Was it her bed? It was only full-sized compared to his king…

"Not a damn thing, Orihime. You're perfect. I'm just… emotions." The grin on his face faltered for a moment. Ulquiorra took a couple steps towards her and pulled her close to him. Then he turned and pinned her to the door. He leaned down, putting his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply. They hadn't been this close to each other in weeks… no months. Just for a moment, it was slightly overwhelming for him.

Her arms came around his body and she held him close, her nose falling right above his hollow tattoo. She could smell his soap that she loved so much mixed with his body heat and salt from his run over. His skin was still damp. She pressed her face into his chest and breathed him in, then kissed the tattoo. "My hollow, my human," she murmured, not meaning for it to reach his ears.

He pulled back and looked down at her. "Not a hollow. Your Espada," Ulquiorra replied. He took a half step back from her, grabbing the bottom of his shirt and pulled it over his head, tossing it to the floor. "My princess. My queen. My human."

She looked at his body again. She had missed it, despite seeing it in photographs. It was different in real life. For a nanosecond the impulse to cause bodily harm to Yui crossed her mind. This was_hers. _She reached out and spread the fingertips from both hands over his torso, fanning them out until her palms were flat on his skin, then moved them up toward his chest, watching as she did.

Ulquiorra's breath hitched when she touched him. He stared at her entranced by her reactions and the feeling of her hands sliding up his body. He had missed this. He hadn't felt her hands on him for over three months. "I'm going to let you control this. You get to say how far..."

Her eyes raised to his and she stepped forward, pressing her body into his. "This goes until the end. Until there is no more breath in this body." She sounded like she didn't really plan on saying that, and she hadn't. But she meant it anyway. She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.

He returned the kiss hungrily, his hands trying to bring her even closer to him if it was possible. It wasn't but he was going to try. His mouth strayed from her lips, going down her chin to her neck and then back up again. This time when their mouths met, Ulquiorra's tongue snaked out licking at her lips.

Her tongue came out to meet his and she covered his mouth with her lips, allowing their tongues to writhe together in the space between them. She breathed in sharp hitches through her nostrils as she used one hand to hold onto the back of his neck while the other went under his arm to carve a trail from the base of his skull to the dip of his lower back.

Ulquiorra had not been expecting that. He arched his spine pushing his body into hers. He moaned at the aggressive touch. It felt good… Really good. He moved his hands down her body and underneath the shirt she was wearing, inching it up over her torso, feeling everywhere he could. He made sure that he touched every piece of flesh he uncovered.

Orihime's skin heated at his touch, and she soon felt too warm. Breaking their kiss and stepping back, she reached for his hands and directed them to pull her shirt over her head, then fell back into his embrace and picked up where she had left off, kissing him deeply. She shuddered at the feel of his skin against her belly, feeling her insides squirm at the contact. A soft moan escaped her nose and she rolled her ribcage into him in a few slow waves, enjoying the soft warmth it produced. Her hands came around his hips and her fingers dipped into the waistband of his sweatpants and began to pull.

His fingers were busy groping her tits when he felt his sweatpants start going down. Ulquiorra abandoned his task and grabbed her wrist, gazing at her. He slowly kissed her then picked her up like she was a bride and threw her onto her bed, like he was some kind of caveman. He was on the bed in an instant, nestled between her legs. This time his mouth trailed kisses down her chest, he was done fooling around.

She was breathless after landing on the bed and his resumption of command of the activities. "I love you," she breathed, her hands feeling useless as they chased his shoulders, eventually finding purchase just above his elbows and holding on.

Just like the first time he did this, he turned his head and laid it on her chest, right where her heart would be, listening to the racing beats. Ulquiorra had a content smile on his face and he was blushing slightly. "I love you too," he murmured. "I love you."

She was overcome with a sense of affection and peace, and brought her hands up to rest on the back of his neck and the back of his head, lightly holding him in place. "Do you hear that?" she asked with a smile on her lips.

"It's your heart." His green eyes were looking up at her, studying her face.

"No, it's yours," she said with a small smile, looking down at him. "You get to keep it."

The blush extended all the way up to his ears. "I will keep it. I'm going to lock it up in a box and carry it with me wherever I go." Ulquiorra untangled himself from her hands and sat up on his knees. He pushed the sweats he was wearing down. Soon Ulquiorra was naked and laying beside his lover. He was holding her.

Orihime felt no need to rush. She turned into him and traced the lines of the hard muscles that crossed and supported his ribs, admiring the strength they held, even as just a human. She followed them down to the place where his pale skin was covered in black hair, stopping at each tattoo along the way, and let her fingers sink into it, the tips of her fingers grazing the base of his cock lazily, then trailing the hand back up to his jaw and kissing him on the mouth again. Her kisses moved from his mouth, to his cheek, to his earlobe, to the space beneath it, where she paused and whispered, "Is there anything you want? Any requests?"

Oh god. His brain felt like it was melting when she asked that. He gave her a side-eyed glance. "What do you have in mind?" he managed to ask without sounding desperate for something. That teasing caress she had done to him was almost too much. "There's a lot of stuff I want to do to you."

He wasn't fooling anyone. She knew she was at the advantage at the moment, if she was keeping score, anyway. She still was half-dressed, for starters, in her bra and leggings. "Well, I was just going to go wherever the wind took me," she said in a breathy way, blowing over his ear and then giggling. She was a little embarrassed, probably, after not being intimate with him for so many months. She was dealing with it by being silly. She didn't want to be silly though. She propped herself up on one elbow, holding her head up on her palm as she lay on her side, and looked at him, searching his face.

"What do you want to do to me?"

The word everything came to mind but even then, it wasn't enough to describe what he wanted to do to her. Ulquiorra brushed a strand of hair out of her face and smiled. "When I was on my way over here I imagined that as soon as I got inside we would be fucking everywhere. We'd end up in this bed. Now I just want to hold you. I want to kiss you. I want to taste you and give you pleasure. I want to make love to you."

Orihime blushed at his words and her eyes softened before she kissed his forehead, then his nose, then his lips, his chin, and the curve of each jaw, before laying her head on his chest to hear his heartbeat. She wrapped her arms around him as she did, content to just lay there. "I'm agreeable to your proposal," she finally said after several minutes.

"What do you want to do to me?" he asked.

"I want to hold you like this. I want to smell nothing but you. I want to memorize the taste of your skin. I want to hear you whisper my name, and call out the names you have given to me. I want to feel your hands in mine, and on my waist, and on my breasts, as I look down into your eyes with you inside of me. I want to bite this pillow as you kneel behind me. I want to hold you close with my arms and legs as you move above me. I want to worship you…" she trailed off as her eyes closed, getting lost in her imagination.

Ulquiorra pushed the woman onto her back; he sat up. "You can do all of that to me but we need to get rid of this clothing. I can't do anything to you when you're hiding that lucious body from me, Woman." With that statement, Ulquiorra grabbed the waistband of her leggings and pulled them off her body in one smooth stroke.

She smiled at him, then reached around to unhook her bra, taking the straps off one at a time and then pausing before moving it away. Even after what she had just said, she felt a little self-conscious, looking down and blushing.

"Hime, what's wrong?" Ulquiorra noticed the slight change in her. He decided to use a nickname that he very rarely used for her. He brought his hand to her face. "You're beautiful to me. We don't have to-We can take it slow. It'll be just like the first time."

She brought her eyes to his slowly and nodded. "I don't know what came over me, I just… I just suddenly felt kind of embarrassed?" She wasn't sure that was the right word to describe how she felt but it would have to do. "Nothing is wrong, though. I guess… it's just been a _long time. _" She laughed a little to dispel the seriousness, then let her hands fall, her bra with it.

Oh. Ulquiorra understood what she was saying. She hadn't slept with anyone in their time apart either. It certainly had been a while, for both of them. He knew he would take it slow. This would be like the first time but better. He'd handle her gently. With graceful movements, he wedged his naked body between her legs, glad that she still had one piece of clothing on. If she wanted this she would have to be the one to remove them. It would be all over once she was totally naked.

He braced himself on his arms, leaning down to kiss her, letting their mouths mesh together.

She reached around his neck, pulling him into the kiss, and just let it linger. They kissed like that for several moments, until she opened her mouth and invited his tongue to join hers. This kiss was more passionate and active, both of the bobbing their heads back and forth, meeting and separating in unison, breathing each other's breath. As this kiss continued, the rest of Orihime's body began to respond. Her nipples hardened against his chest as the friction between their skin sent pulses of sensation between her legs. She was soon mewling and whimpering from just this kiss and the collateral contact alone.

Breaking the touch, Ulquiorra, let his mouth place small suckling kisses down her neck, reaching her chest. He let the tip of his tongue draw lazy swirls on her skin, making his way towards her nipples. One long swipe of his tongue across one pink bud made the skin raise more. His green eyes found her face as he let his fingers pinch the flesh slightly.

She uttered a soft "uh" at his touch and arched her back toward him, her eyes closing and opening without much thought, her cheeks and chest rosy with arousal. She allowed him to play with her chest a while longer before she she began to miss him, pulling at his shoulders to bring his face up to hers and his center back in contact with hers.

He chuckled and bit his lip, giving her a sly smirk. "What? Something feeling left out?" he murmured. Ulquiorra let his lips hover above hers and everytime she went for a kiss he pulled away from her slightly.

She whined. "I want to kiss you!" she complained, chasing his lips.

"Then kiss me, I'm not stopping you."

She grumbled and grabbed the back of his neck, pulling him to her so he couldn't get away without exerting some effort. She smiled when their lips finally made contact, humming in satisfaction. She kissed him and sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, letting her tongue lap at the surface, then slowly releasing it and humming her approval. "I love how you taste," she commented before going for it again.

"You know, I kind of want to kiss you somewhere else," Ulquiorra whispered to her. He didn't wait for a reply, before he crushed his mouth against hers. He was starting to feel that same gnawing need when it came to her and her body. He told himself that he was going to take this slow. This wasn't going to be a quick fuck. He wanted to drag this out for hours.

"You can kiss me wherever you want, Espada. My body exists for your purposes, remember?" she teased, pushing him off of her and onto his back. "But I want to kiss you first." Her lips started on his, then to his princess tattoo, his hollow tattoo, heart tattoo, and each of the other ones dotted across his body. When she reached the ones dedicated to her on his pubic area, she didn't hesitate, placing lazy, sucking kisses on each, chuckling to herself when his cock twitched between her breasts as she did. She finished by latching onto his hipbone where the tattoo of her hair swirled wildly. As she did, she brought one hand to rest on him, testing his state of arousal.

A long groan left him every time Orihime touched him. His hips twitched and he tried to move them to create friction-anything that would help build up and break the tension thrumming through his body. As Orihime's mouth got closer and closer to his cock, Ulquiorra couldn't watch. He felt the kisses she placed on the tattoos inked along his hips. He finally opened his eyes when he felt her hand wraparound that hard length. "Woman," he moaned, bucking his hips slightly.

"What's the matter, love?" she asked gently, as if she was completely innocent. She kept her hand wrapped around him as she moved her body up against his to place a kiss on his neck. "Something bothering you?"

"Hnnngh. Orihime," he growled in a seductive manner. He could barely think at this moment and she wanted to know what was bothering him. He had no blood left in his brain for it to function properly. She looked happy as she tortured him in this manner. He squirmed and flexed the muscles in his thighs and abdomen. "Please, Woman. I am yours."

"Hmmm, say that again," she demanded with a smile.

Her hand gently slid up his dick from the base to the tip with a fleeting touch and he about lost it. He growled again. "Woman. Orihime. Baby. Lover. I am yours," Ulquiorra gasped.

"Good," she said, scooting away and standing from the bed, hooking her thumbs into the waistband of her panties and pulling them down. When she stood back upright she paused, giving him a clear view of a tiny new decoration just to the right of her pubic area. A small 4 that matched his own, no bigger than a 100 yen piece.

Ulquiorra's mouth dropped open and he stared at Orihime with wide eyes. A hand came up and traced that numeral on his chest. "When? Why?" he asked, sitting up. He held his arms out towards her. He wanted to explore this new thing she'd placed on her body.

She placed her hands in his and let him direct her toward him. "About two weeks after we broke up. I knew I'd never forget you or be able to replace you, so I thought I may as well make it permanent."

Once she was settled in his lap, Ulquiorra traced the dark number with the tip of his finger, letting his nail trace the outer edge. "You did this-Woman… My rank." His mind was clearly racing because he would not form complete sentences and could barely speak words. "I want you. _Now. _"

"I'm yours. I always have been. You only have to take me."

Using one arm, he lifted her slightly so that he could line himself up with her body. The air in his lungs left him as he felt the sensitive head of his cock brush against wet skin. Ulquiorra looked at Orihime then kissed her slowly, locking their lips together, bringing both hands to her hips, a thumb sliding over that tattooed number. He began to press into her.

Orihime gripped his shoulders and sucked in a long breath through her teeth as she sheathed him. The pressure was intense but desperately desired. She choked on a breath as her bottom neared his legs, then as it rested on him, she sighed, the feeling of wholeness filling her entire body. Her eyes closed and her lips searched for his blindly.

His breathing was ragged once he was all the way in her. This was way different than the first time. Ulquiorra swallowed, letting them adjust to each other again. He could see Orihime's face and he guided her to him, kissing her, letting his lips brush over hers.

She pulled back after a moment and whispered, "I love you so much, Ulquiorra." Then she took a deep breath and slowly raised her hips a few inches before sinking them back down. She watched his face as she did, her own eyes darkening and her mouth hanging slightly slack, focusing on the sensation of their connected bodies.

His eyelids fluttered shut before he closed his eyes completely. Bliss rocketed over his nerves, sending tingles of pleasure through his limbs. Ulquiorra had been dreaming about this moment for weeks. His dream was a paltry imitation of the real thing. He let himself lay back on the bed, still holding onto her hips. Once he was comfortable that he wasn't going to end this activity prematurely, he opened his eyes and looked at her. His reptilian pupils were wide open as he found Orihime's gaze. "Show me how much you love me."

She reached for his hands, threading their fingers together, and used his palms for leverage as she began to move over him, sighs escaping her lips with each roll of her hips. The way he watched her gave her encouragement, and as soon as she found a comfortable angle she began to increase her speed. It wasn't wild, but it was enough exertion that after several minutes her breathing was rough and a trickle of sweat rolled down her forehead.

He moaned, "Orihime." It wasn't loud but it was enough to get her attention. He bit his lip and Ulquiorra started moving with her, bending his legs at the knees and bracing his feet against the bed. When she raised up, he shifted his hips enough that he could feel her core trying to pull him back in. When she came down, he thrust into her. The way her hips moved on his lap sent wave after wave of endorphins rushing through his muscles. It was heady. It was intoxicating. He wanted more. "Fuck me, Woman. Make love to me."

"Yes," she hissed her agreement, gripping his hands more tightly and increasing her efforts. Her body squeezed not only him but her own insides; her thighs and buttocks working together to intensify the experience. "I love you. I am yours. I will make you call my name, Espada," she murmured these words to urge herself on and bolster her strength as she began to feel her inner thighs tremble with fatigue. She was not giving up yet.

Weeks and months of sexual tension and build up had led to this moment; Orihime bouncing and grinding against his hips. Her body yielding to his. He loved her so much that it was impossible to put into words. His brain was flooded with warmth and affection for this goddess. "Orihime." He said it was a warning. Ulquiorra could feel himself on the brink of an orgasm that felt like it was going to rip his entire world apart.

She took his warning was a challenge. Careful not to alter any of the movements from their current pattern, so as not to derail his imminent climax, she focused on his eyes, panting and sweating as she rode him toward completion.

Her body was like a vice, gripping him and that's all Ulquiorra could think about. Didn't she know what she was doing? Didn't she know where this was going to lead? They way she eyed him made it seem like she wanted it. "Orihime. Please," he begged. It wouldn't take much more movement before he was at the end of the line.

At his words, she released his left hand and brought her fingers to where her body joined his, pressing where she knew she would find near-immediate release. Her core grasped him and reverberated around him as she came, her pants turning into quiet sobs. She didn't stop moving even as her orgasm rocked through her body. "Surrender," she pleaded, her body on the edge of collapse.

His green eyes had followed her hand and that's about all it took. Along with the orgasmic spasms his girlfriend was experiencing, Ulquiorra could no longer hold back. He put his free hand over his mouth to stifle the scream that almost broke through as he felt himself come inside of Orihime's body. When he couldn't stand it anymore, he used both hands to still her movements. "Shhhh," he said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to his chest.

She crumpled in a pile of slack woman onto his chest, puffing out her breaths and lazily pushing sweaty strands of hair out of her eyes. They were still connected, although she could feel him slowly starting to soften and separate from her. It made her emotional, and she began to cry softly.

"Shhh, don't cry, lover." Ulquiorra stroked her back as he felt her tears land on his chest. "Woman, what is wrong?"

She sniffled. "It's nothing. It's stupid," she said in a thick voice, pressing the palm of her hand into her eyes to make them stop. It was not effective. She laughed at herself mirthlessly, "I'm so stupid."

Ulquiorra sighed, and lifted her face so that he could look at her. "You are not stupid. Tell me. Is it because of what we just shared?"

She pouted and nodded. "I'm just sad that it's over already," she admitted, bursting into tears again and burying her face into his chest.

"Woman, we have all night. All day tomorrow. The rest of our lives to pleasure each other," he said to her. Ulquiorra lifted his head and kissed her hair. "It's not stupid. You're affected by your hormones. They're saying that this emotion is valid."

She nodded into his chest as her breathing began to slowly calm down. As he completely left her, she climbed further up his body to hide her face in his neck, nuzzling her nose against his jugular, smelling his scent, starving for more of his essence. She could not be satiated.

Ulquiorra gave a half smile and cuddled her closer. The warmth of her body combined with the orgasm that ha ripped through him made him exhausted. He opened his mouth to say something to her but yawned instead. "I think we need a couple hours of sleep before another round. Is this agreeable?"

She nodded, her eyes already closed.


	19. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER 19: And Now for the Bad News**

They may have had intentions to continue their love-making through the night, but they slept until morning. They might have slept until afternoon on this particular day if they weren't woken by an insistent, "Ahem!" There was a pause, and then Orihime's bed was kicked and jostled. A man's voice muttered, "What the hell, come on...AHEM"

Orihime rolled over, completely exposed from the waist up. The man could be heard sighing, walking, and then a snap. Orihime's eyes flew open. Uryu had just flicked her across the tit.

Orihime sat up abruptly covering herself with her arms. "What the fuck, Quin!" she whined in a sharp voice, rousing Ulquiorra.

Green reptilian eyes opened, and in the brightness of the room, Ulquiorra's pupils became tiny slits. He wasn't at home. He turned his head and saw red hair and then he saw the Quincy. Oh right. He and Orihime fucked themselves into exhaustion. It didn't help he'd ran about twelve kilometers either. Sitting up, Ulquiorra glared at the male and quickly gathered Orihime into his arms after seeing her almost naked in front of the Quincy. "What is the meaning of this? I thought you were gay," Ulquiorra stated.

"I am gay," Uryu replied as if it obvious and Ulquiorra was stupid to ask.

"Why would enter her room and stare at her?" Ulquiorra had grabbed the sheet and covered his girlfriend's body with the blanket. "You had to have known someone was in here with her. I left my shoes in the genkan."

Uryu sighed. "I don't care if it was Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson in here. We have a meeting. As for staring at her, I mean, c'mon, I may be gay, but everyone likes boobs."

Ulquiorra let out a low growl. "You can fuck off," he snapped. "I'm keeping her here until I am satisfied."

Orihime blushed and smiled, hiding her face from her roommate as he groaned. "Oh gross. Orihime. It's for Zerge."

He narrowed his eyes and looked at the other man. "Zerge? Isn't that your designer friend?" Ulquiorra asked, prodding Orihime's shoulder. "Or was it Aki you did the photo shoot for?"

Orihime removed her face from his shoulder and answered, "It was Zerge that Quin and I did the shoot for; Aki is helping me with my collection."

It was too many people for him to keep straight. "It doesn't explain why he just barged in here!" Ulquiorra said.

Uryu sighed again, this time with emphasis."It's nothing I haven't seen a million times before and will probably see a million times again. It's not a big deal."

"I'm ripping off his head this time," he muttered to the woman. "You are a dick, and you certainly will not be looking at _my _lover like that again. It may not be a big deal to you, but it is to me!"

Orihime was glad to hear him say that but she didn't want a fight in her bedroom. "Ok, alright, everyone take a deep breath. We're all adults here, right? Now, Quin, I know you're used to just having free reign here but I'm in a relationship with Ulquiorra now, and you'll have to respect that, so no more barging in here or sleeping in my bed. Ulquiorra, no maiming or murder. Now I don't remember making an appointment with Zerge for today. What is it?"

Uryu took a step toward the bed and held out his phone. "Our proofs came back today. We're supposed to go and look them over."

Ulquiorra scowled. He didn't want Orihime to leave. "Does she have to go? Can't you go?"

Uryu shrugged. "I guess if you don't care, it's fine. You could just mark the ones you like on my phone, and I could go. Here," he said passing her the phone, "Look at them for a minute while I get breakfast ready."

He watched as Orihime took the phone and unlocked it. Were she and the Quincy that close that they knew how to unlock each other's phones? Orihime had disclosed that they had gotten "handsy". That might have dictated their closeness. He watched her swipe through the photos, zooming in on some or tilting her head a certain way to look at a pose. She seemed to have an eye for this kind of thing. "You want to go, don't you?"

She grumbled unintelligibly and then answered, "No, I don't want to go today. Zerge can video conference me if need be. But look at these, they came out fantastic! Almost as good as ours," she said, showing him the picture of her and Uryu with their hands on one another's shoulder.

He took in the composition; the lighting; the two models expressions. They both had an air of professionalism that bled through the pictures. It was unlike the photos he had done with Orihime. Those had been raw and dynamic. Ulquiorra didn't know the first thing about modeling, but he had made it work for him. He had masked everything when he had been partnered with Yui; the disinterest and the distasted for the job. "You two look good together, but it's nowhere near what you and I look like."

She raised an eyebrow at him. She was sure he would have reacted jealously, but here he was looking at things rationally. "You're right, it doesn't compare," she said leaning over and kissing his cheek.

Ulquiorra caught her face with his hand. He stared at her, eyes darting from side to side. "Orihime, did last night mean what I think it meant? Does this mean we're back together?"

"Yes, I said as much. I wouldn't play around with you."

"I was just making sure," he said. Ulquiorra sighed. "Does that mean we pick up where we left off three months ago?"

She looked aside and screwed her lips up into a thoughtful expression. "No, not exactly. I mean, I think we're in a much better place in our relationship than we were three months ago. We weren't communicating well then is what I mean. I think we are better at it now."

Raising an eyebrow, he looked at the blanket covering them. She had misunderstood him. "I know we are, but I mean… Will you be staying here?" The question came out so quiet, and he sounded so weak. Ulquiorra shook his head. "Nevermind."

"Ulquiorra, do you want me to move in with you?" she asked. She had been staying at his place almost every night before they had broken up, but they didn't officially live together. She had to be sure what he meant.

"Yes. I would like it. You don't have to though. I mean we did just get back together." Ulquiorra raised his gaze to her face.

Orihime was beside herself. He was so fucking cute she couldn't stand it. How was this Espada No. 4? More like lost, little puppy. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pecked little kisses all over his face, ending with his mouth. And then another on the mouth and another for good measure, before pulling her mouth back and answering, "Well, I have about six months left on my lease here. How about I keep my big stuff here, because I have to pay rent anyway, and stay with you, and then we can consider looking for a place together that isn't at the top of 12 flights of steps?" She squinted one eye and put on a pained smile, hoping he wouldn't object too strongly. She thought of a bonus, "Also, that way if we're out around Shibuya we don't have to go all the way back to Koenji to crash, you know?"

His forehead wrinkled. Give up his loft? Leave his neighbors that he had a friendly rapport with and grown to tolerate? Ulquiorra had to admit, without the use of Sonido, going up twelve flights of stairs sucked. "I will make this concession but," he paused to look at her. "Whatever place we pick must have good natural light. We could just stay here when you don't feel like walking up those stairs."

Her smile lit up the room, "Agreed!" she said, then her eyes fell, then her lips fell, then her entire face fell, looking down to the bed. "Um, Ulquiorra, there's one problem; something I haven't told you about…"

"What is it, Woman?" His voice sounded apprehensive.

She sighed deeply, and her shoulders dropped as she picked at an imaginary spot in the blanket. "Well, it's really embarrassing. I…" she paused to take a deep breath. "I owe Uryu _a lot _of money. Since I stopped modeling, I have been relying on him a lot, you know, um, financially. I don't know if I'll be able to move out and pay him back in time."

Instantly his face relaxed; money worries. Here he was thinking the worst things ever going through his mind as she lied about being on birth control or that this had been a one-time thing. Ulquiorra shook his head.

Then he thought about it. The modeling gigs that wanted him and Orihime together paid more than the solo gigs. "So we model," he replied. "We can pose together. I can paint and book more art shows. I could move in here with you and help you out..." He bit his lip. He sounded so dumb.

Her eyes widened. He would consider doing that for her? It was hard to believe, much less accept. "But you hate modeling. This place is dark, and you don't have an obligation to support me… we're not married or anything; Uryu only does it because he's always been generous and it's his dad's money anyway, and he feels responsible for me…" she realized that what she was saying was all coming out wrong and could be interpreted badly. She stopped talking, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "I don't know what I am trying to say; it just seems like your idea is not beneficial to you and I don't want to take advantage of you."

He shrugged. She was correct, but if they were going to be together, it would only be right for them to pool their resources. "It was an idea."

Yep. Orihime had done it. She put her foot in her mouth already. Not twenty-four hours into it and she had already made him clam up on her. She flopped down on the mattress and covered her eyes with one hand, "I'm such an idiot," she said under her breath, then turned her face to him, "We'll see how it goes, ok? You don't have to do anything you don't want to do."

"When have I ever done something against my will? And don't reply modeling. I did that for you," Ulquiorra stated.

Orihime raised an eyebrow at him. "Exactly. Modeling. You're offering to do it again, for me, and you don't want to. I don't want to be the cause of your suffering," she said, making light of the word 'suffering', but meaning it nonetheless. She groaned and sat up again. "I'll just work more. I've been selfishly immersing myself in my collection when I really have no business doing it. I need to be realistic. Stop turning down less than ideal gigs-" she paused, "Although it's still a no to the porno guys."

Immediately, he scowled at the mention of the word porno. "Maybe if it was us together but otherwise, absolutely not! Another man will _never _touch you." Ulquiorra wasn't even bothering to hide the jealousy that laced his tone.

His words and tone were an instant aphrodisiac. Her cheeks colored and she looked at his face, his fine nostrils flaring and his reptilian eyes dark with possessiveness, and her lips parted, her tongue darting out to wet them. "What would you do if one tried?" she asked breathlessly, not aware the question had escaped her lips.

"I may not have powers anymore but I would attempt to maim someone. I've done searches on how much pressure it takes to rip limbs off." Ulquiorra glanced at the door, where the Quincy exited. "I swear the next time he touches you, I'm going to hurt your friend."

She smiled, "I'll make sure he gets the memo." Then she took a deep breath. "Honesty time, Ulquiorra. I would not feel comfortable making you make a commitment like the one you made to Markus, but if you have time and don't mind, some one-off modeling things would really help me out."

Weren't there things called royalties in this world? He had been using her image to make money. _Midori No Ai_ had sold for a nice sum of money. "I've made my fortune off of your face and body. You should get a portion of that," Ulquiorra stated.

She lowered her brows and looked at him seriously. "No, except for T_he Woman and The Moon_, those paintings were based on your memories or for modeling you already paid me for. If you would like to hire me to sit for you again, that can be arranged, though."

"I would pay you to sit on me." Ulquiorra smirked. He was teasing her and he hoped she took it this way. "Seriously though, I can arrange for you to sit for me whenever you have time."

"Well, only if you want to paint me," she said, hopeful.

He scoffed in a joking manner. "Orihime, what don't you understand? Only if I want to? Woman, where you are concerned I would do anything because it would make me happy and perhaps it would make you happy. The only thing I would not do is hurt you." Ulquiorra leaned over and kissed her slowly. "I'd paint you. I'd paint on you. I love recreating different versions of you."

She raised a brow at that. "Do you remember something we talked about a long time ago? I kind of jumped the gun," she said, looking down at her hips and back to his eyes.

"We've talked about a lot of things," Ulquiorra replied. "Was it when I was an arrancar or as a human?"

She laughed, "It was when we first got together, and you showed me your tattoos. I asked if you would paint something on me to test out a potential tattoo."

The conversation came back to him. He found the idea of painting on her to be shatteringly erotic and sensual. He couldn't even voice his desire at the time. "Would you get another one?" Ulquiorra asked, his question was quiet but he looked at Orihime with eyes full of lust.

"If it looked nice, and had meaning," she said teasingly. Then her eyes narrowed. "So, tell me truly, what do you think about the 4?"

"I want to put my mouth on it, much like you did to mine. I want my tongue to trace it." Ulquiorra bit his lip. "I want to touch it."

"Easy there, tiger," she laughed, but laid down, keeping the blanket over her for now. "I'll let you touch it, but you didn't answer my question. I didn't ask what you wanted to do to it. I asked what you thought about it."

Ulquiorra frowned. He was becoming aroused just from being near her and thinking about what he wanted to do to her. "Oh," he sighed. "I don't understand why you would want something like that permanently on your body when I hurt you. Why not get something that made you happy?"

It was her turn to frown now. "I wanted it to remember you, just as you wanted to paint The Woman and the Moon."

"That painting brought me joy. My number has done nothing but bring tears to your eyes. I have done nothing but make you cry, Orihime."

"Well, that is patently untrue, Espada. You have made me moan and call your name in ecstasy," she said in a haughty tone, then smiled and continued, "You have made me laugh. You have made me smile, think, play… Give yourself some credit." She smiled, then touched the 4 on his chest. "But, when I think of this number… maybe it's illogical, but it makes me feel safe. I got it as kind of a talisman as well as a reminder. Maybe it was just orders or whatever, but even when I was a prisoner, I knew if I saw your number, I would be protected."

"Woman, do you remember that battle between Kurosaki and I in the fifth Tower? The one where you put up a shield between us?" Ulquiorra looked at her then at his hands. "I can only remember bits and pieces of it anymore. I keep getting flashes of other things and people. I've never seen them before though."

"I remember it like it was yesterday. What kind of flashes?" She sounded concerned.

Ulquiorra shook his head, already forgetting what he was getting at. At first, he thought they were weird dreams. He'd never said anything about them. "Just weird flashes of white light. They started some weeks back. I think my memories of when I was a Hollow are fading."

Orihime looked alarmed. "Are your memories just fading, or are they being replaced?" She didn't know what brought her to that suspicion, but the idea terrified her.

He raised an eyebrow. Ulquiorra was confused. "Is that not how the human mind works? You make memories to replace the faded ones?"

"Sometimes, but there are some memories that are burned in deep and cannot be erased. You're saying, though, that the new memories are yours, though, right? From the past four years?"

The man shook his head. "I've never met anyone who was a gigantic hand or any other Shinigami… The one in my dream was fat and had purple hair."

Orihime's eyes widened. "Whatever you had planned today, cancel it. We're taking a day trip."

* * *

Orihime texted Ichigo while Ulquiorra was in the shower. She didn't have Urahara's number in her phone; she hadn't transfered it over when she got a new phone years ago. She should not have been surprised that Ichigo was being a hard-headed ass and insisted that she meet him in Karakura so they could go to Urahara's together. She groaned as she set the phone down. She really didn't have a choice.

After she got ready to leave and they got on the local express train to Karakura, she knew it was time to come clean. It would be better to give Ulquiorra a chance to get used to the idea; if she told him now, he would have thirty-five minutes on the train to do it.

"So, I have good news and bad news, which do you want first?" she asked.

"It's always the bad news first, Woman. What is it?" Ulquiorra asked giving her a glance out of the corner of his eyes.

She nodded. "Well, the bad news is, I didn't keep Urahara's phone number, so I had to ask Kurosaki for it. He won't give it to me."

The dark-haired male turned his head and scowled. "Okay, is that where we're going? I've already told you that he can't or won't help. What's the good news?"

"Well, what you just said kind of proves how good this this news is: Kurosaki has insisted on coming with us to Urahara's and has made an appointment. He still has a lot of sway."

Ulquiorra sighed loudly, clearly vexed about this news. He lowered his voice and grumbled, "I-I don't give a fuck if Kurosaki could talk a rich person out of their money. That asshole killed me. I don't care if it was a hollowfied version of him!"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry, but hear me out, okay? The memories you described, the ones that are replacing your old ones, they're significant. You shouldn't have them. They're from the last war. We_need _help."

"How do you know that?"

She looked at him with a weary expression. "I was there."

Well of course she was there, she was Kurosaki's savior when it came down to it, bringing him back to life. "You were merely a healer for him," Ulquiorra said.

"Regardless. I saw with my own eyes some of what you see in your visions. It shouldn't be possible. We have to make sure that this is not going to lead to something more serious." There was real fear in her voice.

He looked at her confused. "You mean there's a Shinigami who is a gigantic hand? I don't understand."

"I don't either," she said, taking his hand and holding it tight. "I heard about a lot of unbelievable things. I think I told you I spent a good deal of time in Hueco Mundo during the war. I didn't see all the things you've described, but I was told about them. You need to talk to Kurosaki and Urahara. Only they will be able to confirm or deny my suspicions."

Scoffing, Ulquiorra set his mouth in a thin line. "You are aware that I loathe Kurosaki and I've already pleaded Urahara to tell me why I am here; why I am alive. He shrugged."

She covered his hand with her other one and prayed to heaven that he would understand. "I know. But that's why we need Kuro-dumbass. He's not my favorite person either, remember?"

"I shouldn't be alive. I should be in hell with the rest of the dead Espada. Why was I spared?" Ulquiorra shook his head. "I don't understand this. None of it. I've been having these flashes since I woke up in that dirty bathroom. They're just dreams."

"The answer to your first question is obvious, Ulquiorra. You were redeemed. The mechanics of your redemption are a mystery, I suppose. Maybe it's because you found your heart as an Arrancar? Maybe because I prayed for your soul every day? Maybe it was just because you were struck down by a Shinigami's zanpakuto, I don't know. But you have been redeemed."

"Pretty sure your friend decimated my body by a Cero," Ulquiorra said. He looked at Orihime. "What if you're wrong and they're just dreams?"

"I hope I am wrong! Then the worst that happens is we wasted a trip and probably have to go get a drink with Mr. Dipshit."

"TCH." Ulquiorra folded his arms over his chest. "If they aren't dreams then what do we do? What could be causing it? Would it have something to do with your witchy powers?"

"I am _not _a witch. Supposedly this is just…" she didn't want to go there once she thought about it.

Ulquiorra sighed and put an arm around her shoulders. "I know. You can reject the past or time. But to someone with no spiritual pressure, I can't see your little-planes? Are they planes?"

She smiled. "No, they're not planes. They're like, sprites or fairies."

"I can't see them. The day you showed me that trick… nothing. One minute you were crying and had makeup running down your face, the next good as new." Ulquiorra studied her face. "As a human, this is very overwhelming. I can't feel the hollows. I can't see what you or the Quincy can do. I'm powerless."

Orihime leaned into his arm and nodded. "I know. I'm sorry it scares you. I'll try not to do it anymore. Although," she said, pulling her hair away from her hairline, "there are some benefits. Remember when i was at the hospital? I had a gash here that needed a stitch. No scars!" she said with a grin.

He frowned. The day at the hospital brought back bad memories. He had walked out on her that day. They had fought. He had said terrible things to her. "Sometimes, it can be good I guess. Why do you think I don't have any spiritual pressure? I thought if I came back I would have it."

Orihime shrugged. "I don't know. I assume the body you inhabit didn't have any to begin with. But, you know, I didn't always have any. I developed it over time. Maybe you will too?"

"Did you put that shield in front of Kurosaki or me?" The question he wanted to ask hours ago finally came to his mind. It was random but he finally remembered. His human brain was often random.

She frowned and looked at him, knowing that he would at least be partially disappointed with her answer. "Neither. I put it between you."

"And there's no way that you could have used your fairies on me, correct? Like you did with Grimmjow or Kurosaki?"

She closed her eyes and a look of deep pain crossed her features. She breathed a labored breath and confessed. "I don't know. I stood there, after you faded to ash, with my arm extended to the point where you stood, like an idiot, for too long. I was devastated. You finally understood. You _finally _saw me, and you were gone. By the time I snapped out of it, there was nothing left of you to restore. I tried to gather your ashes but it all mixed in with the sands of Hueco Mundo. I brought it home with me after the war and tried. If you ever wanted to call me a witch, it would have been then. I set your ashes in a dish and tried to restore you. I was too late. I failed you." She did not open her eyes. She didn't want to see how disappointed he was sure to be.

Ulquiorra observed how she was holding herself and the wounded expression on her face. "Woman, I always saw you. I was always looking at you. You didn't fail me. You tried to help. I was too far gone at that point."

"It was my biggest regret. I was never the same after that. When I saw you alive in that club back in winter, I thought I was finally losing my mind. Guilt had caught up to me and I was seeing things. Then when I went to your show and saw your paintings and met you, it was like…. I can't even begin to describe it. Exhilarating. Terrifying. Redeeming. It was like I was being given a second chance too, you know?"

"Why didn't you come over and talk to me if you saw me?" he asked. He was truly curious. He had seen her that night but brushed it off as another fashionable bitch.

She smiled then, "I pointed you out to Quin and he said I was wrong. He said, and I quote, "Spooky. Don't worry about it, Boo, he's fuckin' dead!" she laughed.'

"What about in the art gallery when I kissed you? What did you think then? Did you even think of _why _I was there? Why I was alive?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Come on, babe, please. You _kissed _me. It was a mind-blowing thing. How was I supposed to use my brain at a time like that?"

Ulquiorra huffed. "There isn't a way I can phrase what you think is happening and google it, can I?"

She stopped her little trip down memory lane about her first real kiss and came back to the present. "Sadly, no. That's why we need to go to Karakura."


	20. Chapter 20

**CHAPTER 20: Jealous of the Way...**

They were pretty much silent for the rest of the trip. When the train stopped at Karakura Station, Ulquiorra spied the orange head of Kurosaki waiting for them… The dark-haired man had a feeling that the shinigami was expecting just the redhead, not both of them. He had no idea though and he wasn't going to ask. He had been mulling over what Orihime had said. And it kept going back to the same damn thing.

He'd been redeemed from hell just because he had fallen in love. He didn't have any spiritual pressure but was having dreams or nightmares of people he had never met or seen. It was confusing for him. Orihime had talked about a war, but she never said what happened in this war. No one told him who had won and what was lost.

Orihime didn't have a good feeling about this trip. As soon as she saw Ichigo, her heart fell into her stomach. It would have whether or not Ulquiorra was there; it was her default reaction to the shinigami. Still, today was different. The object of her affection was going to be subject to scrutiny, and it did not sit well with her.

When the couple got off the train, Kurosaki's face fell. Ulquiorra has been right that he expected Orihime alone. "So, it's been a while for you, hasn't it, Espada?"

Ulquiorra wasn't going to even speak to Kurosaki, but that bastard addressed him. Since it was bright out, his eyes showed their true nature, and they slid in the other man's direction. "Espada now, is it? I have a name, _Kurosaki_. You didn't have any problems screaming it at me while you were in Hueco Mundo."

"Excuse me, it's not like there is an etiquette class for how to properly address one's fallen enemies," Ichigo responded with an eye roll.

"An apology would work. How can I be your enemy, I'm human… Aren't Shinigami sworn to protect humans?"

"Tch," Ichigo replied. "Sure. So what do you need to see Hat-and-Clogs for?"

Ulquiorra said nothing. He didn't think it was the other male's business what he was doing in Karakura. It was only when Orihime took his hand that he sighed. "I'd much rather only tell it once so if you could direct us to Urahara's..."

"Yeah, well, here's the thing, Urahara naps until 5:00 so we've got some time to kill. Inoue, I was thinking I could show you how they've updated the town square; you won't even recognize it…"

Orihime's face kind of dampened Ichigo's spirit. She saved him the effort of trying to salvage what was left of his pride. "Actually, if we could just get some tea or something until then, I think that would be better, right?" She squeezed Ulquiorra's hand and looked to him for his opinion.

His face remained blank but inside, Ulquiorra was loving how every little thing Orihime did seemed like it killed the man's soul. He was internally gloating. "I think Orihime and I could wander around town by ourselves and meet up with you in a few hours."

"Oh, yes, that's a good idea. We don't want to keep you from whatever you had planned for today, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime said with a sweet smile, leaning into Ulquiorra's shoulder.

Ichigo looked back and forth between their faces as his own grew somewhat pale. He had heard about their breakup but the news of their recoupling had not yet reached him. It came as a bit of a shock. Finally, he nodded and said, "Yeah, ok. Meet me at my dad's place at 4:30 and we can walk there together. You still remember where that is, right Inoue? It was always on your leftover bread delivery route," he said with a lame laugh.

Orihime sighed. "Yes, I remember."

Ulquiorra slightly raised his eyebrow and smirked at the person who killed him years ago. His attempts at trying to entice Orihime were lame. Even lamer than Ulquiorra's attempts at flirting with her.

"Okay, just checking," Ichigo said, scratching the back of his head then looking at his watch. "Alright, I'll see you two in a couple of hours I guess," he said before turning around and walking away.

Orihime sighed as she watched him walk away. She felt kind of bad for him. She didn't know why. She was well within her rights to despise him, but she didn't. He was just dumb. He was never malicious.

Since Ulquiorra was always observing and studying Orihime, he noted her reaction towards Kurosaki. His mouth turned down at the corners. "Woman, is there anywhere you'd like to go first?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Honestly, this town is just a bummer for me. We could go to the park that Yammy destroyed. That would be nostalgic."

His frown deepened. He'd been thinking about that place. It was the first time he had met Orihime… Well, he couldn't say met. He had seen her. He noticed her. Yammy had killed people that day by sucking their souls out of them. He'd done it against Aizen's orders. They had come to the world of the living that day to kill one person and that was it. "I was curious to see it myself. It was the place where we first came into contact with one another. What possessed you to take on that dumbass?"

"Yammy? Well, he was threatening my friend. I couldn't stand idly by."

"But you weren't worried or scared by the little guy who brought that oaf down by a flick of his wrist or deflected Urahara's attack?" Ulquiorra shook his head. "You've always been an intriguing individual."

"I wouldn't call you little, Ulquiorra. I mean, compared to Yammy anyone looks small…" she didn't know why she felt such a strong compulsion to defend him from himself. She shook her head. "I wasn't worried about you because your spiritual pressure was so well contained that I could barely detect it. You were so beyond my capabilities."

He chuckled. It wasn't that. He had on one of those bracelets that masked his spiritual pressure. He could have contained it but it was such a hassle and it really didn't matter because Yammy had tagged along and the entire thing could have been a stealth operation but the former Diez Espada was an idiot. "Compared to you, I'm tall."

She smiled at him adoringly before looking ahead as they walked, "That is very true. Even then. The body you inherited is slightly taller than you were in your unreleased state though, isn't it?"

Ulquiorra looked down at his feet and then at Orihime. "I'm not sure. I seem a lot taller than you now. I remember in the dangai… You didn't seem as tiny or as short. Hopefully, this trip will answer some of those questions I have. Why do I have abnormal eyes if I'm supposed to be human? Did I take over someone's body? Did I possess a human?"

Orihime hummed noncommittally. "I don't know, but can I ask, have you _ever _been to a doctor since you've been human?"

"No, never. I never get sick. I never get hurt."

Orihime furrowed her brows and looked in his direction. "That's all well and good, but you should get checked out periodically just to make sure your body is healthy. If you are truly only human now, you have to take good care of your body. If you were to become ill, I don't know how much I would be able to do for you. Of course, I would do anything I could, but… you know. I can't lose you again to something like an illness."

His lover was being sappy again but it made Ulquiorra smile. He slipped his arm around her waist. "I do take care of my body. I exercise. I eat. I hydrate. I have gotten tested for any foreign diseases."

"Ok, great. But have you had your blood pressure checked? Your glucose levels? Protein and blood in your urine? Have you been checked for testicular cancer? Do you get a flu shot? Get your lungs checked out? I mean, you should know how tall you are."

"I've heard things about these doctors. They're going to take one look at my eyes and run… Screaming. I cannot claim that they're contacts to someone who actually looks at them," he stated. Ulquiorra knew that going to an actual doctor would be a bad idea. "I need answers from Urahara first… Then I might think about visiting a doctor."

"Well, if you do, you're in the right place. There are two here in this town who will take the truth about your eyes in stride, and there is another one in training. Not that you're keen to meet them, I'm sure, but your health takes priority."

He rolled his eyes. "What about your own health? The woman who lost weight and wasn't sleeping?"

"Well, I do see a doctor. I have to in order to get my prescription. I'm healthy as an ox, I'm told. I apparently needed to lose that weight anyway," she said with an uncomfortable look on her face.

"Psht. I could tell the difference. You didn't need to lose anything." Ulquiorra looked at her with a stern look. "You're almost perfect, remember?"

She laughed. "Well, my resting bitch face kind of disappeared since we got back together, so…" she blushed as they turned a corner and came up upon the park that was their destination.

It looked like the same place. Maybe they added some playground equipment or something. Ulquiorra didn't know. It had been Yammy's body that had caused the crater to form in the ground. The neanderthal had jumped out of the gargantua. Ulquiorra had to jump after him. That park had been a complete disaster after their skirmish with the humans and ex-shinigamis. It looked perfectly normal now. "No evidence we were even here."

"Nope, just our memories. Did it even cross your mind for a split second the first time you were here that you would ever be standing here again, six years later, with me as your girlfriend?" she laughed at her own words. Of course, he hadn't. She would have never considered it at that time.

His expression grew somber and he shook his head. "I was told to protect Los Noches to the death. That's what I did. I had an idea I would die in Hueco Mundo; just not by a Hollowfied human's hands. I expected that Aizen would have cut me down after he won because I had destroyed the palace."

"Luckily for you, someone, rather two someones, got to him first," she replied. She gently removed his hand from her waist so she could walk over to a pair of swings that stood in a sandy depression in the ground. She sat and started to twist and sway, caught up in the memories.

Ulquiorra watched her then followed her actions, taking the swing next to her but he didn't move. He just sat there. Sometimes he didn't understand the purposes of memories, especially when they seemed to make Orihime sad. "Do you miss that day?"

"No, I don't. I was still in Hueco Mundo trying to fix Quin and the bodies of broken shinigami when it happened. I was not invited to that fight."

"Ah," he commented. "At least you did some good. You helped others."

"Mmmm," she replied. "I did, I suppose." She was quiet for a long moment afterward. Then she had a thought that had sometimes popped into her head, one that Ulquiorra had let drop early in their relationship but one that was kind of topical now that they were in Karakura. "You know that I am over Kurosaki, right?"

Immediately, Ulquiorra's body stiffened. He turned his head slightly and looked at her. Was she blind? Did she not notice the way that brat's eyes traveled over her form? "He doesn't seem over you. If he tries anything, I will attempt to maim him."

"Ha!" she laughed sharply. "If he tries anything, you won't have to lift a finger. I'll maim him myself."

* * *

By the time they arrived at Kurosaki Clinic, Orihime's stomach was in knots. Ulquiorra probably didn't mean to plant ideas into her head, but his mention of Ichigo's wandering eyes had put her in a bad mood. How dare he? After all these years, after she finally found someone who she could call a partner, a lover; how dare he try to sniff around her? He didn't have the right.

So when they turned the corner and arrived at the small medical facility to see Ichigo standing outside, she couldn't help but sneer. She stopped her forward motion. Ulquiorra did not immediately notice and walked ahead several paces. She stood where she stopped, fighting an urge just to turn around and leave or sic Tsubaki on the Shinigami. She knew neither course of action was appropriate. They needed him, unfortunately.

When he didn't feel Orihime beside him, Ulquiorra turned back and peered at her. His head then swung back to where the orange-haired male stood. He really wished that he had some kind of power but knowing his luck the moment he got some spiritual pressure would be the day that the Soul Society would be brought down on his head, like a pack of wild dogs chomping at the bit for him. "Woman," he called out to her and extended his hand toward her. When she looked at him, Ulquiorra said, "Focus, we're here for us. Not him."

Orihime nodded slowly and walked toward him, taking his hand and grasping it firmly, wrapping her free one around his elbow for good measure. She saw Ichigo's eyes narrow slightly. Her lips curled up almost imperceptibly at the corners as she formulated a vague plan to stick it to Shinigami without having to talk to him about his inappropriate behavior. She turned her face toward Ulquiorra's head and whispered into his ear, "If you don't mind, why don't we just _accidentally _display how irrelevant he is, as far as I'm concerned?"

"You want me to fuck you in front of him? Because that's how irrelevant Kurosaki is to me. He's a decoration, Woman." Ulquiorra murmured to her in reply. "Do we actually need him?"

Orihime chuckled, "If you can do it and make it look like it was just something that happened, I don't object," she laughed again, then sighed. "You said Urahara wasn't helpful. Carrot-top over here is the only person willing to help me that can pressure him."

Ulquiorra leaned down and kissed her on the mouth. He stayed like that, his mouth moving against the woman's for a long moment. "Stop using honorifics with him," he stated as he pulled away. "That's one way to show him how much you don't care."

Orihime groaned. "It goes against every fiber of my being not to use them. I guess I can try," she grumbled.

"Oi!" the Shinigami called as they made their approach. "What was that over there? Can't keep it behind closed doors?"

"Why should I? Just because you're an emotional shut-in doesn't mean I am," Ulquiorra replied. "Settle down, _Killer_."

"Tch," Ichigo scowled. "That's rich, coming from the true face of despair or whatever the fuck you called it."

"Nihilism, thanks for playing though. "

"Besides, I think we're 2 to 1 in the killer category, _Killer. _ Don't go throwing around names that apply to you unless you want them thrown back in your face," Ichigo snarled, his spiritual pressure starting to rise.

Of course, Ulquiorra couldn't detect it, but Orihime did, and she was fucking furious. She stepped forward, her posture as menacing as her tiny body could be, her fists balled at her side and her eyebrows lowered, glaring at the redhead. "Kurosaki, back down," she demanded.

His face would have remained a blank slate but the way his girlfriend put herself between them, made Ulquiorra want to pat her on the head. He didn't, but he thought it was adorable. "The fact that you are standing there today after I took your life twice is because of this woman right here. Did you ever thank her for saving you? Did you ever thank her for _giving you _the power to defeat me?"

Ichigo scoffed. "That's debatable. And yes, I did thank you, didn't I Inoue?"

Orihime just rolled her eyes. "Sure, whatever. Can we get going?"

"Lead the way, asshole." Ulquiorra glared at the other man, eye narrowing. He wished he could produce a Bala or a Cero because he wanted to reduce Kurosaki's body to a scorch mark against the ground.

"I don't _have _to help you two, you know," Ichigo grumbled. "I'm only doing this for you, Inoue. If you don't…" he didn't know where he was going with that complaint, so he just let it trail off. He was just feeling underappreciated by his former sidekick and wasn't enjoying it.

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. "Then don't help. Be a bastard who only needs his friends when it suits him. Go back to your mundane life, Kurosaki," the dark-haired man snapped.

Orihime sighed. This wasn't helping. "Guys, please. Can we just focus on what's important here? I think you should tell him what's been happening, Love." She chose that endearment on purpose, but it completely genuine.

A straight eyebrow rose, and Ulquiorra sighed. "I've been having dreams. Normally they'd be of Hueco Mundo; our battle, Los Noches, what happened before the winter war. Then I would get other flashes of memories or visions. Bright blue and white light; a giant hand; a man with long blond hair… Someone with magenta hair. I knew no one with that color hair."

Ichigo looked at Orihime first, then Ulquiorra, one brow slowly raising. "I see. Yeah, I think you need to speak with Urahara…" he said, his voice laced with a measurable amount of anxiety.

"Orihime won't tell me what happened. I died on that dome. You witnessed my death. What happened during that second war?" Ulquiorra asked, taking a step towards Kurosaki.

"Well, I can tell you my side of things, just like Orihime can tell you her side of what happened," he looked over at her significantly, then breathed heavily through his nostrils, before continuing. "I think the person with the most comprehensive knowledge of the events is that broken geezer. I can tell you one thing, Cifer; it was a total shitshow. Orihime and I barely made it out alive."

Ulquiorra huffed out a breath, annoyed that those two had more memories to share than he did with Orihime. The memories that he did have were bittersweet. "Let's go then. I want answers now."

* * *

Ichigo had made an appointment. The trio arrived about two minutes early and were greeted outside by the tall man with dreadlocks. "Welcome. The master expects you. Right this way, please," he bade them, stepping aside to let them in and offering them each a pair of slippers.

Orihime bowed and did as instructed, entering first. She saw a shadowy figure shuffling toward her, his well-masked spiritual pressure preceding him, licking out at his guests, testing the air around them.

Ulquiorra stood there. He didn't feel a damn thing. He sighed, wondering why they were all just standing around. Were they going to meet with this asshole or not? He could hear the shuffling and the thumping coming down the hallway.

"Mr. Urahara, thank you for seeing us on such short notice," Orihime said, bowing, as the man stepped into the light. She rose and looked to Ulquiorra, waiting for him also to pay his respects.

The dark haired man did not bow. He stood there, staring at the hunched over figure. This spiritual being looked just as sad as he did four years ago.

"You're back," Urahara said.

Orihime was anxious and didn't want to wait for the two men to get over whatever was getting in the way of them speaking. "I don't know if Kurosaki told you, but things have changed since four years ago. Ulquiorra, please tell him."

"I need answers." Ulquiorra didn't want to elaborate more than that. "You're the only person who can give them to me."

A sigh left the former shinigami. "Come back. Tessai, make some tea."

It was Ulquiorra who strode after the man with purpose and when they were inside one of the interior rooms with cups of green tea in front of them, did he say what was going on. "Ever since I woke up as a human, I've had dreams."

"Dreams are normal for humans, Cifer."

"Of Hueco Mundo? Of people, I've never seen before? Do you people from the Soul Society keep around freaks that are shaped like hands or have dark pink hair and can manifest fire from their fingers? What about poison bubbles?"

The room was silent.

"I remember hearing about people like that. You know who I am talking about, don't you Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime dropped back into using honorifics with him without thinking, memories of the last war, making her remember how she felt as a younger woman.

"Yeah…" was all the orange-haired man said, looking at Ulquiorra with a mixture of suspicion and fear.

"I have flashes of bright columns of light and terracotta roofs."

Urahara held up a hand. "You died a year and some months before the war with Yhwach began. There's no logical reason why you're alive, Cifer."

Ulquiorra sighed. Of course, the man was going to be difficult. "What happened during this war?"

"Lots of things. We lost a lot of people. Souls disappeared. Hollows disappeared. Arrancar-"

"Most of the Arrancar died when that _thing_-" Ulquiorra pointed to Kurosaki. "Invaded Hueco Mundo."

"Please, guys, we can play the blame game and 21 questions later? Urahara-san, is there anything you can think of that would allow for Ulquiorra's soul to inherit a human body, after being incorporeal for almost two years? I mean, it was always my understanding that hollows were purified if they were killed by a zanpakuto. I don't know what happens if they die by other means. I was there when Ulquiorra was killed… his actual cause of death was from Kurosaki-kun's zanpaukto. It ripped him through the torso, cutting through his organs, which was his direct cause of death, although it did not occur until some time later due to his regeneration ability at that time," she paused to take a breath. "That alone should mean that his soul would be purified, right? So how would it be just floating around one minute and in an overdose victim in Kabukicho the next?"

"All Espada were designated to go to hell when they died. What happened, Cifer? We know this information from Nel. She told this freely. Why do the Espada go directly to hell? Why aren't you there?" Urahara asked. "When he answers this question, I might disclose more information."

Ulquiorra glared at Urahara then shifted his glance towards his lover then her supposed friend. "All the Espada held an aspect of death. Loneliness. Time. Sacrifice. Nihilism. Destruction. Intoxication. Madness. Greed. Rage. I threw away my aspect of death. Hollows only know what are considered the "seven deadly sins", that's why we go directly to hell."

"Why?" Urahara questioned. He had pulled out that fan and was waving it in front of his face. "You were which aspect?"

"I was Nihilism. I was nothing. I cared about nothing." Ulquiorra looked at Orihime.

Orihime nodded at him and took his hand.

"I believe I was redeemed from hell for gaining a heart. Or at least falling in love with someone I had no business having an emotional connection with," Ulquiorra stated.

Ichigo scoffed at that. Orihime shot him a dirty look and reoriented her body toward Ulquiorra more clearly, her breasts surrounding his elbow. She didn't want there to be any mistake about the reality of her relationship to Ulquiorra between the other two men there.

"So the rumors are true," Urahara said quietly. He took a sip of his tea and then looked between the couple and the substitute shinigami. "The Thousand Year Blood War meant the death of a lot of people. It meant the death of the Soul King. Aizen planned to create the Ouken and take over as Soul King, was it not? Yhwach destroyed his father, murdering the Soul King."

Ulquiorra scowled. "What does that have to do with my being brought to life?"

"If you were a regular soul, hanging out but hadn't gone to the soul society, it could be possible that when the Soul King died, and Yhwach killed all those other souls, your soul invaded a body of someone who recently died." Urahara's tone didn't sound confident.

Ichigo sighed. Heavily. "That still doesn't explain why he's having memories of things that happened during the war."

"The Soul King holds all the memories of all the souls. Those who die return to him, Kurosaki," Urahara stated. "It's possible that what happened during the war, imprinted on those souls who weren't committed to a realm. How do you feel when you get these dreams?"

Ulquiorra's eyes shifted from side to side. He didn't think Orihime knew what happened during the night when the nightmares came, and he didn't want to say anything about it. "Cold sweat. Panicking. I can't breathe. Fear. Anxiety. I often get out of bed and am up for several hours."

Orihime's expression grew worrisome. Her free hand came to rest on his bicep, "Why didn't you tell me? I mean, I know you sometimes get up, but…" Her voice held a bit of hurt in addition to worry.

Ichigo sneered at the implication that his killer and his sometimes-love-interest were sharing a bed. "You don't have to shove it in our faces, Inoue," he grumbled.

"Kurosaki!" Urahara scolded. "It's not your place to say anything either. In fact, I don't think you need to be here anymore. I have a package that needs delivered to _The King _."

The shop owner sighed. "I think what is going on is just memories of the past coming to the surface while you sleep, Cifer."

"Tch, where is it?" Ichigo asked, rolling his eyes. He did not appreciate being treated like a gofer for a feeble ex-shinigami.

"Go speak to Tessai," the blond said. "Give my regards to Nel and Tier."

* * *

Orihime was bothered by Ichigo's attitude for a long time after he left them at Urahara's. Something about how he reacted was off… She wasn't sure if she could honestly call him a friend anymore. Not that she had been particularly close to him over the past four years, but she always felt that when pressed, she could count on him as an ally. Something about how he acted at their meeting at Urahara's raised her intuitive alarm bells that this was no longer an assumption she should so easily carry.

She didn't say anything about it to anyone though. It wouldn't do to cause needless worry or worse, have people poo-poo her fears. Besides, she lived in Tokyo. He lived in Karakura. She had nothing more to do with supernatural comings and goings than Ulquiorra did now. It was unlikely their paths would cross again soon, if ever.

Ulquiorra asked Urahara some other questions, but the man had shrugged. He didn't know why the artist had such pupils or why he sometimes had enhanced reflexes or why the memories of Hueco Mundo were growing fuzzy and distant. Urahara said that it was just age, most likely. Memories were becoming distant in the wake of new ones.

"Well that seemed somewhat productive," he commented as they were shown out of the building. "What did you take away from that?"

She took a deep breath and looked at him with a guarded expression. "Well, as far as the mechanics of how you came to inhabit this body, I'm satisfied that the explanation Urahara provided is plausible and actually likely. I was bothered by something, though. How about you? What did you think?"

"Kurosaki is a jealous jerk."

She laughed, "I don't know about _jealous, _but I agree about the jerk part. I think it bothers him that I could be with you after what happened between the two of you. I think he feels betrayed, but it's peculiar how… I can't describe it. I just don't feel like we can trust him, if that makes sense."

Ulquiorra nodded. "I don't see how you could have wanted to spend five lifetimes with him. The man is clearly a childish and immature person. No matter. It's in the past."

Orihime scoffed, "Give me a break, I was a kid when I said that. And he was cute back then," she added just to get a rise out of her boyfriend.

He smirked. "What did you think of me back then? Broody, pasty monster?" he said, teasing Orihime.

She bit her lip and smiled, "No… I thought you were dangerous, intense… Handsome," she added the last descriptor quietly.

"Are you flirting with me, Inoue Orihime?"

"No… Just telling you the truth. What did you think of me back then?" she asked, somewhat embarrassed. "Obnoxious? Stupidly optimistic? Childish?"

Ulquiorra chuckled and shook his head. "You were unique. I didn't care for your attitude, but you already knew that. I thought you were beautiful in that Arrancar uniform."

She smiled, looking down at her feet as they walked. "Do you have any idea how shocking it was to hear you compliment me back then? I was sure I had misheard you." She looked up at him and stopped, taking the time to admire his features objectively really. She tilted her head as she took in the line of his jaw, his straight brow, the curve of his lips, his fine, china nose. He was a work of art, truly. How she might have ever held Kurosaki in higher esteem was beyond her understanding now. She tilted her head in the opposite direction and smiled vaguely. "You are really quite stunning," she murmured, not really intending her words to reach him.

"So are you my love. Come, let's go home."


	21. Chapter 21

**CHAPTER 21: Tattletale**

He had numerous Hollows report to him. They all said the same damn thing.

"Sir, Kurosaki has returned!"

"My king, the shinigami is back."

"Hey asshole! You're just gonna let Kurosaki walk in here."

Mouthy. Fucking. Fraccion.

Grimmjow sat on his throne in the ruins of Los Noches where he ruled with the other two living Espada. Well if you could call what those two did living. Tier lived in solitude in her palace. Nel ran around with those two idiots. He wasn't surprised as the human/shinigami/hollow/quincy thing walked into the throne room.

"What the fuck do you want, loser?" Grimmjow snarled. "Come to fight me?"

"Tch. Fuck off Grimmjow. I came to deliver a package from Urahara," Ichigo said, giving the blue-haired Arrancar a sneer. "And to deliver a message."

Grimmjow raised an eyebrow but didn't budge from his place on that stone chair. He put his chin in the palm of his hand, much like Aizen used to do. But while that traitor sat there with a smug expression, Grimmjow's was grumpy. He didn't get to fight much now that peace had come to Hueco Mundo. "Give whatever package to one of the servants. What's the message?"

The envelope flew at him and Grimmjow caught it with a hand, ripping it open with one fingernail. The images that spilled out, over his lap and floor were confusing. "What is this Kurosaki?"

"What do you think it is? That prick is alive," Ichigo said with a small smirk. "Thought you might be interested to know. There's something else, too."

Plucking one of the photographs up, Grimmjow peered at it. Someone one had scribbled lines down the man's face. "Is this-Is that fucking Ulquiorra Cifer? That fucker is alive? What the fuck else is there to know Kurosaki? I'm getting my revenge on him. How has the Soul Society not eliminated him yet?"

Ichigo smiled. This was playing out exactly how he had hoped it would. "Because he has absolutely no spiritual pressure. He is human. No power whatsoever. His little girlfriend has more juice in her little finger than he has in his entire body," the shinigami gloated.

A sadistic grin spread over Grimmjow's face. "Get out of here before I decide to pick a fight with you, Shinigami."

Ulquiorra kept having a weird feeling come over him. He would be walking from a cafe or his apartment when the sensation slid down his spine. He'd be at the grocery store or the art supply place. He always shook it off. It was like a heavy, oppressing blanket had been put over him just for a moment. He thought he was just being paranoid because of what Urahara had said to him.

He'd done something that was practically impossible. Ulquiorra had possessed a dying body. It made no rational sense. His mood must have been apparent because he was laying in Orihime's bed one night, looking up at the ceiling when she came in to the room.

"What's going on with you, Love? You've been acting like something's been bothering you since we came back from Karakura."

"I don't know, Woman. I feel a sense of dread. Have you felt anything weird in the days since we came back from Urahara's?" Ulquiorra asked, turning his head towards her.

She laid on her side next to him. "I have not. I have sort of conditioned myself to ignore that kind of thing, or I would be feeling it all the time… I don't know if I ever told you, but my ability to detect spiritual pressure is rather sensitive."

This was the first time Ulquiorra had ever heard Orihime talk about this. "You can detect massive spikes of spiritual pressure, right? I keep feeling this weighty sensation at times. I'll be walking along and all of a sudden I can't breathe and I can't move."

Orihime's face told him everything he needed to know, even though she tried to temper her reaction, her eyes widened and lips parted in fear. She saw him recognize her feeling. "That feeling you describe… it is how it felt to be in your presence as an Arrancar. It's how it felt to be near Aizen."

"What is going on now?" He sat up on the bed and looked at her. "Wouldn't there be shinigami in Tokyo to take care of them?"

Orihime sat up and knelt beside him. "When was the last time this happened?"

Ulquiorra sighed. "Today. I was walking back from my apartment. I went there to drop off supplies I had bought. I've got a show coming up in a couple of months."

Orihime nodded and sighed. "Can I do something? It won't hurt," she asked.

He looked at her, his expression alarmed. "What?" he asked. Ulquiorra's tone was cautious.

"Just trust me," she said, kissing his cheek and then kneeling up behind him so she was taller than him. She put her hands on his shoulders and closed her eyes, becoming very quiet. She stayed that way for a long time.

After a minute he could hear her whisper, "Shut the fuck up, Quin…" then grow quiet again.

After another minute, he began to feel warm. She remained silent with her hands on his shoulders for another three minutes, then gasped, pulling her hands away.

When he turned around to face her, she had a hand over her mouth and a pinched expression, shaking her head no.

"What did you do?" Ulquiorra asked. "Orihime, what did you do to me?"

"I should not have done anything _to _you. I was reading the residual spiritual pressure that clings to you. Everyone has it, whether it's from the recently deceased or hollows or shinigami, or people like me or Quin. He is a nosy bastard, by the way, and he is much stronger at detecting things than I am. Anyway, there is always spiritual energy floating around and it follows people who pass through it."

Ulquiorra waited for her to finish but when she didn't, he studied her expression. "Who is it? What is it?"

"It has to be a mistake," she said with a small smile, but her eyes were growing increasingly anxious. "I thought detected an Arrancar."

"Shouldn't we tell someone about this? Can't you call the Quincy or Kurosaki or Urahara? Someone? I'm a human, Orihime. I can't protect myself," Ulquiorra said, his tone growing frantic.

Orihime gathered him into her arms and smoothed his hair, trying to comfort him. "Shhhh, shhh, it's okay. I will stay near you until this blows over, okay? Powers to defy a god, remember?" She took his face in her hands and made him look at her. "I won't let anything happen to you," she swore to him. "I'll call Uryu right away, but I don't know if we can trust Kurosaki or Urahara."

Ulquiorra stared at her, with concerned eyes. "Woman you might have powers to defy the gods but you don't have the powers to defeat an Arrancar. Unless you have a trick up your sleeve?"

"No, well, yes, but nothing on that level; nothing that could defeat an Arrancar. I think I could protect you though."

He wanted to believe her. Ulquiorra really, really did want to believe his girlfriend would and could defeat an Arrancar but he had been one in a former life. Being a former Arrancar and Espada, he knew how they operate and how powerful they could be.

She could tell he didn't have faith in her. "We could always run? Go somewhere they wouldn't look to find us? You have no spiritual presence. There's no way they could track you," she offered.

And start over, he thought. There was no way. Ulquiorra did not want to go anywhere. They had lives here. He had a reputation as an asshole artist. Why would he give that up just because some hollow wanted to stalk him?

Orihime could tell he was not receptive to her idea. "Would you trust Uryu to handle this? He's much more powerful than he once was, despite appearances."

"Can the Quincy get it done? I don't want to keep looking over my shoulder waiting for whatever to strike. You can't protect me all the time Orihime." Ulquiorra huffed. "You have to go to school. I need to paint stuff. What are you going to do? Drag me along everywhere? I wouldn't mind it but I think you might get annoyed with me."

"I think he could but I'm not sure," she was starting to get stressed. "I don't mind you being with me 24-7 but… You're right, we need back up." She sighed heavily. "Do you want me to call Kurosaki? We know he can do it…" She was not happy to admit it.

The green-eyed man shook his head. If Kurosaki was the cause of this then what was the point? The orange-headed bastard would know that he had gotten to them. "I don't trust Kurosaki. He seemed petulant when Urahara dismissed him."

"I know, that's why I am worried… Maybe if I could, ugh, appeal to his ego or something he would stand down?"

"The thing is, we don't even know if it is him. It could just be a wild Hollow. It wouldn't look good on us if we just threw baseless accusations around," Ulquiorra stated.

"It wasn't just any hollow I sensed, Ulquiorra. It's one I know, well," she warned as well as admitted. "It doesn't really matter if Kurosaki has anything to do with it or not, if he's willing to stop it, it would be beneficial. I would do almost anything to keep you safe, even if it is begging him to help," she said as if the thought sickened her.

"Woman, you need to tell me who it is."

"You know who it is," she sighed. "Grimmjow."

* * *

Paranoia didn't even begin to cover what he was feeling. Everywhere Orihime went, minus the bathroom, Ulquiorra followed her looking like a lost puppy. He was jumpy and twitched at every noise that was loud. He didn't like going out into crowds. People in the woman's classes and other fashion students whispered. He caught some of them but he didn't care.

Being in Orihime's company was better than being in the Quincy's company. The first day Orihime decided to pawn him onto Uryu, the man had yelled at him. Ulquiorra declined to follow the other man around.

Spending so much time with his girlfriend did give Ulquiorra some ideas on his next art show. He saw the sketches and the outfit his woman had put together for her collection. A lot of what he had seen was reminiscent of Hueco Mundo.

They were at the college one day while Orihime was working on something, Ulquiorra studied her. "Can I see your sketches? Do you have a sketchbook? Do you mind? Are there ones that aren't going to be turned into physical pieces?"

She looked up at him in surprise and smiled. This was the first time he had expressed a specific interest in her work. "Yes, I have quite a bit that I've scrapped for one reason or another, just a minute," she said, standing and walking over to a cubby on the wall, rummaging around for a bit, and then returning with a thick sketchbook. "Here's some things that I worked on while we were broken up that I just didn't think were what I wanted to put out into the world…" she trailed off.

He took it and flipped through it. Several of her designs were striking. Some looked like what Markus had tried to pass off as haute couture. A lot of it was good. Ulquiorra looked up at her. "I have an idea on how to promote you."

"Oh? What do you have in mind?" she asked, excitement dancing in her eyes.

"I'm going to paint your sketches. I'm going to bring to life what you scrapped. I'm going to give you half of the profits," Ulquiorra said. "It'll be a collaboration."

Her eyes couldn't get any bigger. "You would want to do that? For me?" she couldn't believe it.

He smiled at her. "Look at what you're doing for me Orihime. You're dragging me around everywhere. People are talking." Ulquiorra tapped the sketchbook. "I would love to collaborate with you on this. You can help me. It's a good way to make money at least."

"Oh, come on, you know I don't care that they talk. If anything it raises my cache," she said as an aside. "Besides, if people know we're together, it nips rumors in the bud. Anyway, thank you for offering to do this, I'm so excited!" She bounced around in a little happy dance.

Ulquiorra's chest filled with warmth, watching her. He liked when she was happy. He loved seeing her face glow. It made him think of things like the future and babies and living with her full time and never having to go to his apartment for anything. Sometimes, he had to restrain himself from voicing these ideas. He reached out with a hand and grabbed her wrist, pulling her to him.

Still smiling, she put her unrestrained hand on his shoulder and kissed his mouth briefly, then pulled back to look at him. "What is it, Mr. Cifer?" She asked, acting goofy in response to the unexpected gesture.

He opened his mouth and he wanted to pour all of his love and devotion out and bare it all for her to see. Instead, Ulquiorra shook his head with a smile on his face. "Thank you for protecting me."

She kissed the tip of his nose. "It's my pleasure. Besides this way I don't have to worry about you getting sick of spending time with me, because you don't have a choice," she laughed. "Most guys would be sick of their girlfriends by now I'm sure."

"Woman, I waited years to even speak to you. I waited years to find you. I will never be sick of you," he said before kissing her slowly. After a moment passed, he broke the kiss. "_ Never _."

Orihime swooned. She laughed quietly; somewhat idiotically. "Keep it up, Ulquiorra, and we might end up violating some student codes of conduct."

He sighed and sat down on the closest stool that was nearby. "Get back to work, Inoue."

"Oh, I think I am ready to pack it up for today. I think we both need some time off. We need to blow off some steam. Zerge is having a little party at From Dusk tonight. He's going to be revealing the shots he took of me and Quin. We should go. Be a little irresponsible, act our ages, well, our biological ages at least, for once."

Ulquiorra nodded. "Only if you wear something that requires no panties."

She smirked at him, "That can be arranged."

* * *

Orihime and Ulquiorra got some dinner before going back to her place to get cleaned up and ready to go. Orihime had wanted to wear something of Zerge's but she only had a leather cuff bracelet with some military style badge decorations on it, so she wore that with an olive green dress that Uryu had designed and given to her. He was planning on meeting the couple there and going to the club together, and Orihime knew that when he saw her in that dress the first words of out of his mouth would be, "No undies!" That's how she knew she'd chosen the right dress, she thought and laughed.

Ulquiorra laid on her bed and watched Orihime as she dressed. He had on his standard t-shirt and jeans. He wasn't going with her to impress anyone. She looked good but then again, Orihime looked good in anything she wore. "Do we need to go? I mean can't you just stay here and fuck my brains out?" Ulquiorra asked, lifting his head off the bed and grinning at her.

Orihime smiled back as she was fixing her hair, "We could do that, but wouldn't it be even _more_ fun to go out and tease each other first?" she turned back to her mirror before he had a chance to respond.

He scowled at her back. "You tease me too much and I'll have my way with you in a dark corner. We about ready to go?"

"Almost. I wanna get my hair up tonight, Zerge's collection kind of has a military bent, hence the olive green and this bracelet," she said, waving it in the air at Ulquiorra. "I think an updo is a little more "Yes ma'am" than down, don't you think?"

Sitting up, Ulquiorra shrugged. "I have no clue how things are done here about the military or even around the rest of the world. Aizen pretty much gave us free rein on our uniforms, except they had to be white with black trim. Some days I miss that," he said.

"Yeah? Just the color scheme? Or the sameness?"

"I had to impress no one around Las Noches. It was, all the same, every day. I didn't have to choose which t-shirt I was gonna wear or what socks were clean. Sometimes this human stuff is a drag." Ulquiorra had a half-smile on his face. "You look really nice Orihime."

"Thank you, so do you," she said with a smile, approaching the bed and holding a hand out to him to help him out of bed.

He grabbed her hand, tempted to pull her on top of him but she looked too nice and put too much effort into her appearance for him to mess it up. Ulquiorra allowed himself to be pulled off the bed.

She led the way out of her bedroom just to be met by Uryu. "Don't forget, no undies," he muttered in passing. "You look totally fuckable, by the way."

"The only one going to be fucking her is me and trust me, she's bare under that dress, Quincy." Ulquiorra felt like tearing the man's head off and chucking it as far as he could but he knew that he couldn't.

Orihime smiled at her roommate. "Thank you, Quin," she said, before throwing a sly look Ulquiorra's way and looking back to her roommate. "Things still rocky with Markus?"

Uryu was putting on a jacket and looked up at her with kind of a bothered expression. "We broke up, Hime. Three days ago. Didn't I tell you?"

Orihime ran to him. "No, you didn't! Are you okay?" she was very worried. Markus had been his first real boyfriend.

"He's been moping around here for the past three days, how could you not noticed?" Ulquiorra murmured. It was a good thing Uryu was around. Ulquiorra planned to talk to him about something.

Orihime frowned and looked back at her boyfriend and then returned her attention to Uryu. "I'm sorry Quin," she said, standing on her tiptoes to give him a hug. If you need to talk about anything, anytime, I'm here, okay?"

"Yeah, thanks Boo. I'm alright. I was the one who broke it off, so I'll be fine. It kinda sucks being alone again, though."

Ulquiorra felt like he'd been admonished by Orihime. "Sorry that Markus is a dick, Ishida."

"Thanks, Ulq," Uryu said. "It's partially my own fault for not realizing it sooner. You guys ready to go?"

Ulquiorra looked at his lady and nodded. He was ready and Orihime certainly looked ready.


	22. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER 22: A Dark Corner**

From Dusk was not quite as shiny and money as Aquamarine or the other clubs they usually visited. It was the kind of place that served American lagers in cans and allowed smoking everywhere. The walls were all black and mirrors, and even though the place was huge and everyone knew about it, it had the air of being somewhat of a small, dingy, secret spot, where you had to know the bartender to get served and the regulars hated everyone.

In fact there were no real regulars and this place was no more exclusive than Aquamarine. It was only in appearances that it was anything else, but those appearances appealed to Zerge's aesthetic in a big way.

When Ulquiorra, Uryu and Orihime arrived, it was only about 10:00 and the music was still kind of low-key as people began to filter in and get drinks and conversation flowing. Orihime led the way over to Zerge's little party and was immediately greeted by Aki.

"Ah, Hime darling! How are you? I feel like it's been forever. You look stunning as usual. Oh! Is that Zerge's cuff…" the older designer started chattering away at her and stole her attention for the time being.

Ulquiorra had met Aki before. The woman was civil to Orihime and helped her out a lot with advice so he had no problems with her. The only problem he did have- and most of the time he shrugged it off because he knew the woman was a designer - was how she eyed him up and down evaluating his clothing choices.

Uryu noticed Ulquiorra standing around with his hands in his pockets like a third wheel to Orihime and Aki and sidled up to his de facto roommate. "So, how are things going with you and Orihime?" he asked, trying to be casual.

He shrugged. "Things are okay, minus the whole I'm being stalked by an Arrancar and am constantly paranoid. You really okay about Markus?" Ulquiorra could be civil to the Quincy. The man was letting him live there.

"Yeah, Markus is a primadonna who's well on his way to obscurity. I'm sorry you had to deal with him. I'm sorry you had to deal with me dealing with him. He had me on edge a lot. It made me bitchy." Uryu paused to take a sip of his drink. "I heard from Kurosaki, by the way."

Ulquiorra snorted and rolled his eyes. "What did that poor excuse for a human have to say? By the way, Orihime says she owes you money," he said.

"Well, technically, yes. But I'd never make her pay me back." Uryu answered like it was just obvious.

"Why not? I'm willing to pay it, within reason."

Uryu smirked at Ulquiorra. "Well, if _you _are paying it I might as well just send you an invoice. But I would never make her pay it because I love her." He smiled over at the healer wearing his dress and back to her boyfriend with a look of peace on his face.

He rolled his eyes and then looked at Orihime. Ulquiorra was amazed that she had so many friends and people who loved her and six fucking years ago she was hung up on Kurosaki. "So what'd that murdering bastard have to say?"

Uryu rolled his eyes and looked down at Ulquiorra with a knowing look that made lesser men shrink. "He wants your girlfriend. He's pissed that you're alive. He wants to cause problems."

"It figures. He can't have her and you can tell him that. What problems did he cause? Perhaps the one in the form of a blue-haired Arrancar? Orihime says she's felt Grimmjow's spirit stuff on me," Ulquiorra sighed. "Can't he find himself some other nice bitch to make babies with? She's mine."

"Hey, I'm on whatever side Orihime's on and she's on your side, so that's what I told him. To back off. He was not interested in my advice. And he didn't tell me in so many words what kind of 'problems' he sent your way but Orihime told me that when she met Grimmjow during the last war he had changed somewhat, but not all that much. Anyway, my guess is that your suspicions are true. That should make things easier for me and Hime though because we don't have to freak out about every little blip of spiritual pressure; just his. And Kurosaki's, probably. But you can't miss that guy. He couldn't hide if his life depended on it."

Ulquiorra chuckled. "He's definitely trying to compensate for something," he snorted with laughter. "Grimmjow can't hide his either, so it makes it easy on that front. I haven't felt that feeling since I started following you and Orihime around."

Uryu nodded, "Good. Hopefully, it will just blow over." He smiled as Zerge's assistant came over and held up a magazine with a picture of himself and Orihime posing in Zerge's new collection.

"This looks fabulous, Quin!" the assistant screeched.

Uryu frowned. "That's not my name," he started.

The assistant interrupted, "But it sounds badass!"

Orihime came over in time to hear the exchange. "I told you, Quin. It _does _sound badass."

"You don't get to yell at her," Ulquiorra said with a smile. "She's allowed to do as she wants, Ishida." the dark-haired man turned to his girlfriend. "Wanna go get a drink, Woman?"

She smiled and nodded, talking Ulquiorra's hand. "What were you talking to Quin about?"

Ulquiorra glanced at her before returning his gaze to where he was walking. "Uh, just stuff. I told him we could totally be bros and bash Markus, if he was down for it. But other than that he told me that he talked to Kurosaki."

Orihime burst into a peal of laughter, throwing her head back and then covering her mouth to muffle the sound despite the noisy venue. "So is that it? You two are bros now?"

Shaking his head, Ulquiorra looked at her. "The man has grumbled and bitched for the past couple of nights because he can hear us. I told him to get earplugs. He doesn't sleep much at night either."

Orihime's brows furrowed and she looked up at Ulquiorra's profile. "Why doesn't he sleep?" she asked as they arrived at the bar.

"I don't know. I didn't ask. I figured he was either bummed out or had a nightmare or something," Ulquiorra said. "I've only seen him up once while I was awake… Dreams, you know."

Orihime nodded and placed an order with the bartender, then refocused on Ulquiorra. "So what did he talk to Kurosaki about?"

"Kurosaki wants to have sex with you. He wants me out of the picture," Ulquiorra mused, ticking off the subject with his free hand. "He turned his attack cat on me. He has to be the one who told Grimmjow where I was. You told me weeks-no, months ago that Grimmjow called himself the King, right? Urahara tells that dipshit to go to Hueco Mundo to deliver something to him. All of a sudden, he's sniffing at me like a dog."

Orihime sighed heavily and turned around, resting her elbows on the bar behind her. "It figures about Grimmjow. And as far as Kurosaki goes, even if you left me again he would be about the last man on earth I would sleep with."

Ulquiorra grabbed Orihime's chin and tilted her head up so he could look at her face. He became indignant. "_Excuse me_, I plan to never leave your side, Woman. That asshole will have to kill me… again… to even speak to you. If anyone is leaving this relationship, it would be you. You're stuck with me. You think after the hell I went through, I'd voluntarily subject myself to that? I'd make your life hell if you left. I'd cockblock you."

Orihime laughed. "What if I left you for a woman?" She laughed even harder, unable to keep a straight face.

"I'd suddenly acquire a harem and demand to watch," he said with a smirk. "All joking aside. Kurosaki started this all because he wants to act like a child who can't get his way."

Orihime nodded. He was right. "Well, maybe I should just talk to him. Set him straight. Do you think it would help?"

"Over my dead body, did you miss those words? He can talk to you when I'm dead. Fucking kill or eliminate, cleanse, whatever you guys do to hollows and apply it to Grimmjow," Ulquiorra stated.

Orihime let it go. She still held out hope for a diplomatic solution but now was not the time or place to talk it over. Their drinks arrived a moment later and she led the way back to Zerge's group.

Ulquiorra followed her, mulling over the information he was given. Then he mulled over Orihime's words. He had a feeling that if he said yes to Orihime's "talk it out" approach, Kurosaki would demand to see the woman alone and if he tried _anything _, Ulquiorra would suddenly be in the custody of the police because he would go insane and kill the man. Once they reached the booth, the dark-haired man emptied the entire contents of his glass into his mouth and swallowed. He didn't like the outcomes that he was coming up with; none of them were good.

Orihime watched Ulquiorra out of the corner of her eye and could tell that he was struggling with the realities he was currently facing. She grabbed one of the bottles on Zerge's table and refilled her boyfriend's glass. "You relax tonight. I'm sticking to just the one drink so I'll be on alert. You need a break from worrying."

He raised an eyebrow but said, "I'm being a fucking downer. Sorry, Woman."

She poked him under his chin with an index finger and directed his face toward hers, standing on tiptoe and placing a leisurely kiss on his lips. "I'm not sorry. I like my men serious and brooding," she said with a smile after breaking the kiss. Truth be told she liked her _man_, not _men_, however he was. She just wanted him to have a nice time. She figured she could help him do that. "Hey, I'm going to go dance over there with Aki. If you want to join me after that drink, come on over, okay?"

Ulquiorra nodded and watched her from where he sat at the edge of the booth. Her hips had the right amount of sway and the way that dress showed off way too much skin, it would be enough to drive him up the wall. Ulquiorra was annoyed though, so the jealousy wasn't as rampant, seeing other men and women look at her with desire.

At first, Orihime was just feeling the music and getting used to being out on the floor again, but as she finished her drink, she was spending more and more time pivoting away from those who began to crowd her or tried to dance with her. She was no stranger to this, and she was well practiced at escaping or communicating her desire to dance solo. She often found the more she got into her own rhythm, the more she would not be bothered. She began to really just go with the flow and for the most part, people were leaving her alone.

The more he watched and the more Ulquiorra drank, the more he wanted Orihime to be in his arms. He'd only danced with her a handful of times, other occasions, he just watched her from the table. She was holding off admirers and he had to smile every time she dodged another potential dancing partner. After his third glass of whatever was in that bottle, Ulquiorra decided that he wanted to dance with his woman.

Standing up, the room didn't wobble or spin, which was surprising because Ulquiorra knew himself to be a lightweight. His body wasn't used to alcohol. He stared at Orihime with purpose as began to walk across the club to the dance floor, fending off advances from numerous men and women. He had just caught Orihime's eye and motioned for her to come to him when another woman got into his way.

The asymmetrical bob streaked with a lighter color was at his chin, and Ulquiorra glared at the woman as she giggled. Every time he took a step to move around her, she continued to get in his way.

"Dance with me, mister!" She half shouted into his ear.

"What?"

"Let's dance!"

Ulquiorra looked at Orihime with an expression of, 'What do I do?' as the other woman held his wrist. He tried yanking it out of her grasp but she seemed to have a good grip on him.

Orihime observed what was going on with a mix of amusement and jealousy. Poor Ulquiorra looked affronted. She looked at him from halfway across the room with a small, pitying half-smile and then her eyebrows rose, followed by her chin. She had an idea. The woman in front of Ulquiorra turned around and began to swing her ass in wide downward arcs toward Ulquiorra's legs, the entire time turning her head around trying to get his attention on her face. He wasn't having it. Instead, he had his eyes glued on his girlfriend, who mimicked the bob-haired girls action, looking over her shoulder at Ulquiorra and performing the same exaggerated hip sways for him.

He didn't really like dancing, so Ulquiorra was very confused and offended that this strange woman just decided to take it upon herself to start grinding her ass on him. He glared at for her a moment before watching Orihime again. The way her hips moved he could almost imagine it was her dancing with him. He brought his hands to the woman's waist and started circling his hips with the beat of the music.

Orihime narrowed her eyes, keeping them trained on Ulquiorra. For some reason, having him watch her dance from a distance was turning her on. She put her own hands on her waist where Ulquiorra had his on the anonymous woman, copying their movements precisely.

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow and smirked at the redhead across the dance floor. She wanted to play this game, did she? Orihime had to know this was going to get real intense, real quick. He slid his pale hands down to the stranger's hips, rolling his spine, letting his lap brush against the female's ass.

Orihime's lips parted as she imagined him doing it to her, her hands trailing down to her hips and raising the hem of her dress just enough to reveal the beginnings of the soft part of her thighs as she added a slow roll to her hip sway. Her eyes sometimes fluttered closed for a moment but would always find his again in the next instant.

He realized what she was doing. She was mirroring him. Ulquiorra was aware of how wrong this would be but his hands traveled up the strange woman's arms and then over the front of her body. It didn't seem like she cared what Ulquiorra was doing to her. His hands wrapped over the woman's breast, waiting to see how Orihime would react to what he did.

Orihime's cheeks were already flushed but her entire visage darkened at Ulquiorra's actions. She didn't hesitate for more than a moment before running her hands up her body and grasping her one of her own breasts, inhaling sharply and running her other hand down her front to rest between her thighs, still circling her hips, breathing through parted lips. She watched Ulquiorra's reaction through heavily-lidded eyes.

Shaking his head, Ulquiorra pushed the other woman out of the way, ignoring the whiny protests, stalking towards his lover. She was either going to give chase or she was going to give in to him when he reached her. Lust drove his actions. Once he reached where she was dancing and still looking at him, Ulquiorra grabbed Orihime by the waist, practically picking her up. He kissed her roughly, hands sliding over her back and ass.

Orihime groaned as he kissed her, her own hands grasping at his arms, fingertips slipping up under the sleeves of his t-shirt. She raised one knee to slide up almost to his hip as she held to him for balance.

Ulquiorra moved his hips against her, grabbing her leg. His fingers slid down her thigh and under the flimsy dress she wore, fingers brushing the skin. "Is this what you hand in mind when you said you wanted to tease me?"

"Something like this, not exactly," she replied, out of breath and smiling.

He raised an eyebrow at her, appraising her expression. Ulquiorra wasn't shy but he knew that whatever people caught on camera could damage Orihime's reputation. He let his hands rest where they were. "Wanna find a dark corner?"

She bit her lip, and her eyebrows flashed at him. "I thought you'd never ask," she purred as she let her hands trail down his arms to his wrists.

Giving a low growl, Ulquiorra let Orihime go but grabbed her hand. He gave the club a once-over before he decided on a small booth in the far corner of the dark space. Looking around, he sat down first and then pulled his girlfriend into his lap.

Orihime wasted no time twisting around to kiss his mouth, threading her arms over her head and around his neck, her back arching away from him and hips pushing into his as her body faced away from him. She wanted to feel his hands all over her.

Ulquiorra groaned. His hands had wormed their way under the fabric of the dress and were stroking her sides and his fingers drifted down and around her body, touching her stomach. "Woman," he breathed, trying to take air into his lungs from kissing her so much.

She felt drunk, despite only having had one drink. It was from him. Her mind was warm and fuzzy and so, so agreeable. "What is it, lover?" she gasped between kisses, as she carefully maneuvered herself so that she faced him. She wanted to be able to touch him, too.

He slid a hand over her tits, grabbing one and then the other. "I want to fuck you here."

She didn't say anything. Her hands slid down his front and started to undo his belt and then his button and zipper. She held the waistband of his jeans in place as he wiggled his hips slightly, allowing his cock freedom from the discomfort of the zipper. She opened the fly of his boxer-briefs and stroked his length with both hands as it sprung free, leaning forward to capture his lips again and provide some cover for her actions.

Ulquiorra didn't actually expect her to do this. He swallowed hard and pulled away from her for only a moment, zeroing his gaze on her. All she had to do was lift her dress. His hands came up and cupped her ass, fingers plucking at the material under them.

Orihime had her own ideas. Very very carefully, she walked her knees up closer to the back of the booth and lifted the front of her dress so that it covered him in her hand, and then let the material fall back down. She left one hand out and used it to cup the back of his head as she kissed his mouth, jaw, and neck with small pecks, while under her dress, she pressed his dick against her already wet slit and rolled her hips, sliding up and down the length of it with excruciating slowness as she kissed him. She kept his head safely away from her wet lips and focused the action on the base and shaft.

He would have let his head drop back but Orihime had a good hold on him and was kissing him like her life depended on it. This felt good and he was in heaven but it was frustrating him slightly. He wanted to feel all of her against him, not just that liquid heat against the underside of his cock. Ulquiorra's hand wandered under her dress and between their bodies, thumb stroking over where he knew that tiny number four to be. His hips moved against her slightly. All it would take would be lifting her up and slamming into her. He knew though that Orihime would be loud and he really didn't want an audience for this.

Orihime rolled her hips over him a few more times, but sensed his hesitation and pulled back further from his lap after one final drag of her pussy against him. She gently pushed him back inside of his jeans and redid his zipper and belt, leaving the button undone. "Come with me," she whispered into his ear before standing from the booth and taking his hand.

She led the way toward the restrooms, but walked past them and through a door that read, "employees only".

Ulquiorra's eyes got wide as he saw where they were headed. His heart was already racing in his chest. His woman had teased him close to the edge of an orgasm but still, he could calm down enough to make this enjoyable for the both of them. As soon as they were through the door, the green-eyed man had Orihime pinned to it, shoving her dress up and trying to get it over her head.

"Wait!" she hissed, fighting against him and pulling her dress down just in time before another door opened from further down the hall. Orihime made eye contact with a long-haired guy in his thirties dressed in jeans and a leather vest and nodded. "Hey, Sato-san, mind if I use the employee can? The line outside is insane!"

The other man shrugged and replied, "Have at it, shorty," and opened another door across from the one he had come out of, leaving Ulquiorra and Orihime in darkness again. "Come on,". she said pulling him to a one-stall bathroom and locking the door behind them.

A low growl left his throat. "We could just go home," he said. Ulquiorra stepped back from the woman and undid his jeans and belt again, he would let Orihime dictate the speed of this. He took his cock out and stroked the length while looking at her.

She stood in front of the sink watching him, biting her swollen lower lip for a moment. Then she pulled one strap of her dress, and then the other, down until they rested in the crooks of her elbows, bare breasts exposed to him. She stood there like that a moment more, then turned to face the mirror and raised the back of her dress until it laid folded on the small of her back, her round ass sticking out toward him, and her dark, hungry eyes staring back at him in his mirror's reflection. "You wanna stand back there or come over here and watch how good we look together?"

She didn't have to say anything else. He took the invitation, taking a few steps forward. Ulquiorra nudged her legs apart a bit more than then entered her, burying himself with one thrust. He gripped her hips, making sure she didn't move until he was ready for her to.

Orihime released a satisfied, guttural sound as he filled her, watching as her breasts were thrust forward and fell back into her body, bouncing on the rebound in opposite directions and swinging slowly as Ulquiorra stilled inside of her. She reached one hand behind her head to his cheek, directing his mouth toward hers for a brief, burning kiss, before turning back to the mirror, lolling her head back into his chest and smiling slightly, running a hand from her breasts to her throat and back, murmuring, "Yes, I think you look good in me."

"I feel good in you," he replied, looking at her in the mirror. He withdrew from her body only to snap his hips against her, moaning. "This is the best idea you've ever had, Woman."

"I can't say I disagree," she grunted as Ulquiorra moved into her again, her eyes taking in the way his lips curled and his brow twitched as he did. "Maybe you should paint this for your next show. I'd buy it," she only half-teased.

He chuckled. "I'd keep all those paintings. No one else can look at your body the way I can. Open and wet for me." Ulquiorra started moving his hips slowly watching her face.

"Mmm," she moaned. "You feel amazing." She took one of the hands he used to grip her hips and slid it up her body to rest at the base of her throat. He could feel her heartbeat thrumming under his fingertips. "I can only feel like this; look like this, because of you," she said, then her body rocked back into his slightly and she bit back a loud moan.

He wanted to tighten his fingers against her throat, to feel that pulse directly against his own. Ulquiorra groaned as he listened to her words. His breathing hitched as he angled his hips for better friction, loving how her slick skin felt against his cock. "Orihime."

"Ulquiorra," she breathed back, nearly rolling the r's. "I want you to mark me. I want everyone to know I belong to you," she panted through glistening lips.

She wanted him to mark her? She obviously didn't know what she was asking. The hollow part of his brain kicked into gear. Ulquiorra brought his mouth close to her neck, breathing in the scent of her; fresh, clean and fruity. It was what he associated Orihime with. "Mmmm, lover," he mumbled against her neck before he kissed the area and then sealed his mouth against her flesh, sucking and biting.

She gasped and whined at the contact, her back arching and hips desperately grinding into his. "Ulquiorra!" she whimpered as his cock reached her cervix for a fleeting moment, causing a mix of electricity, pain, and pleasure to rocket through her. She gripped the sink and one of her breasts, trying to find something to tether her to earth.

He grinned for a moment and continued what he was doing, brutally snapping his hips into her. She wanted to tease; she was going to get fucked.

It wasn't long before Orihime's naughty words devolved into mostly whines and pants and pained groans as Ulquiorra rutted over her, driving her toward what was sure to be a blinding, burning orgasm. There was a moment when she felt a prick of fear, worried that he might, in fact, rip her apart. It was then that he lifted his face from her neck, giving her a clear view in the angry red mark on her neck. "Oh god, Ulquiorra," she cried at the sight of it.

He smirked and stared at her in the mirror. Seeing her tits and how they moved; seeing her reaction to the mark he made; hearing her words. It drove him to that edge. He gave one last thrust before he felt his orgasm overtake him.

She felt him pulse and still inside of her and her own walls collapsed, that promised moment causing her to scream out. She bit down hard on her lip to muffled the sound.

He gave a few feeble attempts at moving against her but he was spent. Ulquiorra's body had been drained by his girlfriend. He huffed, trying to catch his breath, knees shaking.

Orihime held tight to the sink as Ulquiorra staggered back toward the wall behind him. She slowly stood upright and replaced the straps of her dress onto her shoulders, the skirt falling back over her hips. After a minute of riding out the remaining pulses between her legs, she turned to face her lover.

He watched as she made herself decent, following her actions. After his jeans were properly done up, Ulquiorra smirked at her. "Your hair is a fucking mess. You look like you've been ravished. You look like you got fucked, Orihime."

As her eyes focused, she took in her boyfriend's unsteady legs and flushed face and, smiling and shaking her head, raised her middle finger at him for a second and then answered, giggling, "I really did get fucked." She took a step toward him and faltered, catching herself with one hand in the sink.

The ridiculousness of her action made him smile but it was gone just as quick. Instantly, he was by her side, supporting her. His face showed concern. Ulquiorra should not have been that rough with her. "Are you okay, Woman? Did I hurt you?"

"Heh heh, I honestly don't know. I can say with great certainty though that you have touched places inside of me that you never have before," she laughed breathlessly, then tried to take another tentative step and winced. "I may be a bit sore tomorrow," she admitted with a smile.

"When we get back home, you are to take a bath," Ulquiorra ordered. He smiled at her though. "I've heard that I'm larger than the "average" male when it comes to dicks. Sorry."

"Well, apparently what they say about it being less about the size and more about how you use it is true, because it has never felt like _that _before," she commented, blushing. "Not that I have that much basis for comparison, I mean, just in general, obviously, not where the actual sex is concerned." She closed her eyes and cringed at her own awkwardness.

Why did it sound like she regretted that? His forehead wrinkled with worry. Did she want other people for comparisons? Did she want other lovers than him? Most likely not and he had told her that he would never give her up.

"I hope you don't think I'm a slut or something," she murmured, setting her jaw at an awkward angle and looking down at the ground. "I'm really not, it's just…"

"Orihime, out of the two of us, I'm the one that went out prowling Tokyo at night, looking for women to fuck. If anyone is the slut, it's me. I'm the manwhore remember? The fuckboy?"

She made a pinched smile at that, although her eyes showed genuine amusement. "Not anymore you're not. I've nearly made an honest man out of you," she teased. "And I wasn't talking about the number of partners, anyway. I mean… I was just so… So…. Wild." She blushed again, grinning in embarrassment and covering her eyes.

Ulquiorra grabbed her wrists and pushed them away from her. He stared at Orihime with an intense gaze. "Woman, that doesn't make you a slut. If you are one, you're mine and I love it. I loved what you did tonight. I've-I've never had sex in public and what you did was-" he paused. "Mind blowing. It was fucking mind-blowing and look at yourself. I marked you. I've never done that to anyone. When I was an Espada, we could have minions and we were supposed to mark them. I never had any. I like it when you're wild."

She couldn't believe how perfectly compatible he was for her. If she didn't feel completely wrecked, she would be ready to go again. "Well, I may have to invest in a scarf… I don't mind showing this thing off tonight but at school…" she laughed, turning to the mirror and touching the darkening mark lightly. "Fuck it. I'm proud of it." She laughed.

"I was too rough with you," he murmured, looking at the reflection of the mark. It was quickly bruising. If anyone of her friends saw it, they would kill Ulquiorra.

"You take that back, Ulquiorra Cifer. This better not be the last one of these you give me. That was hot. So, am I your "minion" now? Do I have to start speaking gibberish and only eat bananas and wear overalls?"

He had no clue what she was talking about. Ulquiorra shook his head. "C'mon, Woman. Can you walk? We need to rejoin your friends." He looked at her for a moment. "You'll never be a minion to me, Orihime. You're my partner."

She kissed him softly. "I better fix my hair first. I can meet you out there if you want," she offered.

"I'll wait for you out in the hall," he said, exiting the bathroom. She probably wanted privacy.

She watched him leave and took her hair out of its updo, tying it back behind her neck in a low ponytail, then used the facilities and cleaned up a bit and walked gingerly to the hall.

Giving her a smile, Ulquiorra escorted her back to the club interior. The rest of the night went smoothly except for the glares he got from the Quincy. He couldn't help but feel an icy finger of dread slip down his back though.


	23. Chapter 23

**CHAPTER 23: Passing the Torch, F*ckboy Style**

His lungs burned. He couldn't breathe. Ulquiorra shot up from the bed, covered in a cold sweat, trying to inhale as much air as he could. He didn't know what the hell was wrong. One minute he'd been dreaming about his fight with Grimmjow and how the asshole had trapped him in a Caja Negacion. That black void. The nothing of it. The endless vast dimension. He'd been content to stand there, occasionally letting his spiritual pressure flare out so that it could weaken this dimension. It still took too long.

He could have saved Orihime from ever being taken to the fifth tower. Had Grimmjow not played dirty, he would have sequestered her away in the fourth tower and shown her whatever he could. He could have shown her how much he liked to read nonfiction texts about things. He could have shown her the surveillance equipment that allowed him to keep an eye on her whenever. He probably would have gotten slapped for it though.

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Ulquiorra picked up the sweats that were on the floor. He knew wearing pajamas was a pointless endeavor while with Orihime. They fucked too much during the night for him to even consider it. He put them on, sliding the soft gray material up his legs and over his hips. He turned and looked at his girlfriend who was laying on her side, sleeping peacefully.

Tiptoeing out of the room, Ulquiorra didn't bother to shut the door. He didn't hear any other sounds in the apartment. He'd use the bathroom to splash some water on his face. Maybe eat a piece of fruit or get a drink of something.

Why did he feel that dread again? Why did he feel so restless?

It had been the same thing at that club a week ago. He'd been feeling this impending doom hurtling towards him.

After going to the bathroom and wiping the sweat off his face, Ulquiorra walked into the small kitchen and filled a glass with water. He stood with it, looking out the window. The air before his eyes seem to shimmer and dance. It wasn't possible. His eyes were tired. It was just the trick of the light.

"Ciiiiiiiiiiiferrrrrrrrr."

The voice sounded eerie.

"I can see you, Cifer. You don't even deserve that four."

Ulquiorra's fingers tightened on the cup he was holding. He had to swallow the panic that was welling in his chest. That feeling of being unable to breathe was starting to return.

"You can hear me, can't you? You just can't see me." There was a barking laugh. "Piss poor excuse for a _former _Espada. You're just human. A human without any power."

The dark-haired man backed away slowly from the window, turning his head, trying to discern where the voice was coming from; where it would be at.

"How does it feel knowing you have to rely on a human and a Quincy to protect you?"

"Who are you?" he whispered.

"Tch, you know me, Cifer. I want to know how it feels being so weak that you're going to die by my hands. You're not always going to be around your two friends."

"Grimmjow?" His voice shook as he spun around. He caught the barest flash of blue. It had him screaming, "ORIHIME! ISHIDA!"

Immediately Orihime screamed, "I reject!" She came running from the bedroom stark nude, her eyes scanning the room where Ulquiorra stood, her shield surrounding him despite him being unable to see it. She stopped short when she saw Ulquiorra's face. He looked absolutely terrified.

She approached him quickly but carefully, trying not to scare him more, placing her hands on his shoulders. Uryu entered the room a second later, not even batting an eye at Orihime's state of undress. The two friends nodded to each other and Uryu left the apartment. Almost immediately, the heavy spiritual pressure that had flooded the room dissipated.

"What the fuck was that?" Ulquiorra whispered, more to himself than to her. He stared blankly at a spot on the floor.

"Come on, Love. Let's go sit down," Orihime offered, directing him toward the living room.

Ulquiorra followed her, his legs shaking. He didn't even notice he'd dropped the cup of water. His nerves were shot. Paranoia creeped up his brain. When she sat him down on the couch, he began to rock back and forth, trying to deal with whatever just happened. His brain couldn't process it.

Orihime knelt in front of him and placed a hand on either side of his face, forcing him to look at her. "Ulquiorra? Babe? You have to tell me what happened."

"The dream. I woke up. Couldn't breathe." His words were short and simple. "Water. I heard him."

"Who did you hear?"

A sad whimper left Ulquiorra. "Grimmjow. He called me weak. He said he's going to kill me."

She kissed him. "I won't let that happen. I will _never _let that happen. Even if he tries, I will heal you. I promise," she vowed in a shaky voice. "Come. Let's go back to bed. I'll stay up. I'm going to keep my shield up. You need rest; your nerves are shot. Please, do this for me."

She was terrified at the state of him. He looked ready to fall apart.

He shook his head. "No. No shield. Nothing. I don't like it the idea of it. I can't sleep." Ulquiorra was getting angry. That's what the panic was doing to his brain. "I can't keep following you and Ishida around! One of these days you two might not be by me!"

"Do you hear yourself? You sound ridiculous. Of course I'll be with you. I promised, didn't I?" She rocked back on her heels, shivering. "I _will _protect you. You are going to get used to the idea of my shield. It's on you right now."

Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes at her. He didn't mean to get angry at her but with everything going on in his life… She was the reason why Grimmjow was stalking him like an object of prey. "Drop it, now. He's right. I'm a weak ass human. I don't deserve this four. I'm a fucking poor excuse for a human. I was a poor excuse for an Espada. I died! I should have gone to hell!"

Orihime shook him by the shoulders. "Do you realize what you are saying? Do you know what position you put me in by saying that?"

A broken sob wracked his body. Ulquiorra hated this. He got into these dreary, black moods sometimes. Usually when they happened, he turned himself into a hermit. When they happened, it was because he was under some kind of stress. He'd never been around someone when they hit. "I do realize it. You should let him kill me. He'd get his petty ass revenge and Kurosaki can have what he fucking wants and I wouldn't be here."

She didn't even think. It was a snap reaction. She hadn't even known she had done it until the sting traveled from the palm of her hand to her wrist. She had slapped him again.

Pain bloomed across his face and Ulquiorra looked at Orihime. "I'm leaving," he said.

"Do you honestly think Kurosaki could have me under _any _circumstances? That that would make anything better?! Do realize what you're going to force me to do if you leave?" she asked, her voice low and serious.

"What? I've asked you not to use your powers on me. You know I don't like it! Then you go and slap me," Ulquiorra bitched. "Do you realize how fucking scared I am? I have a fucking Arrancar, the fucking sexta Espada after me Orihime. Have you seen what Grimmjow can do? He was the fucking aspect of destruction."

She got in his face. "Have you forgotten _everything?! _I _have _seen what he can do, up close and personal, on several occasions. I worked _alongside _of him in Hueco Mundo in the last war. We were tentative allies! You will not forbid me to protect you any more than you will forbid me to love you. If you refuse my help, I will be forced to hunt him down and kill him myself."

The green-eyed man shook his head. "You're going to get yourself killed doing that," he countered. "The sooner he does it the sooner everyone can go on with their lives. So what if C. Murcielago dies? I've done nothing to contribute to society. I've hurt people. It makes so much more sense than to stick around, clinging to your legs for protection, Orihime!"

"That is bullshit and you know it. If you die, not C. Murcielago, but Ulquiorra Cifer, I will die with you. I don't plan on dying." She huffed and walked toward the bedroom. "I'm getting dressed. Whether you want me or not, you are stuck with me now. If you leave I'll find you. If you die I'll resurrect you. If I can protect you, I will whether you like it or not. Deal with it." She disappeared into the bedroom.

He chewed on his bottom lip for a moment. How could she even look for him? He didn't have any spiritual pressure. Wouldn't it be hard to do? Ulquiorra stood up and looked in the direction of the bedroom and then at the apartment door. He could totally give himself up to Grimmjow; to let the psychotic asshole kill him. One the other hand, there'd be one pissed off redhead to deal with and he'd been on the end of her wrath twice. His face still hurt.

With a sigh, he walked over to the bedroom they shared and watched Orihime. "I'm just saying it's easier this way," Ulquiorra said.

"Easier for you, maybe. What about me?" She asked in a tiny voice as she pulled on a pair of leggings.

"You find someone else. Kill Kurosaki… Fuck I don't know." Ulquiorra sighed. "I think the only one to beat him was Kurosaki. Isn't that what happened?"

"No. Nnoitra did."

Ulquiorra scoffed. "It figured that backstabbing bastard did. What Grimmjow said to me made sense. It has me fucking scared out of my wits, but it made sense. I have to rely on a human and a Quincy to protect me. Why doesn't _your friend _grow some balls and cut me down himself?"

"Because he cares about you. He cares about you because I love you. He sees that you make me happy. He values your talents and your ability to care for people who matter to you. You are a good person, Ulquiorra. That is what this is all about. You are a _person, _a human. There is nothing wrong with that."

He scowled at her. If Kurosaki cared then why did he have Grimmjow coming after him? It didn't make sense. Then it came to him; she was talking about Ishida. "Orihime, I hate to break this to you, but you're the only person in this entire world I care about. Seven billion people on the planet and they can fuck off, except for you," he stated. "I was talking about Kurosaki. He needs to grow a backbone and take this up with me."

"You're right," she said, as if she was surprised she hadn't thought of it first. "Maybe after all this is over, we can all have a nice campfire and hash this out. In the meantime, you need to trust me."

"Trust you? I've been trusting you. It's the people who surround you that I don't trust. I'm just saying, offer me as bait to Grimmjow, let him think he's killed me. I'd probably die but-"

"Absolutely not. I am not going to watch you die again. Not if I can help it. I have to talk to Kurosaki. Where's my phone?" She was starting to get frazzled now that her fight response had faded and the after-effects of adrenaline where taking over her body.

Ulquiorra walked into the room and over to the table that sat beside her bed. He picked up Orihime's phone and handed it to her. "You need to calm down. Get Kurosaki to come here. Ishida has knives, right?" The way he said it was dead serious.

She nodded and took the phone. She didn't care that it was just around 2:30 in the morning. She would call until he woke up.

She didn't have to wait long.

"Kurosaki, we need to talk."

"Yes, now."

"No, get your ass over here. You can drive."

"No, in your body." She made a face like she wanted to gag, then swallowed hard. "Uh, we'll talk about it when you get here."

"Yeah, bye."

She looked at Ulquiorra with an unpleasant expression as she ended the call. "He's on his way."

He'd stayed silent during her conversation, not wanting to give himself away but he couldn't help be curious. Ulquiorra had watched Orihime's face. "What did he say?" he asked.

She glanced at him sidelong and answered, "He asked if this was a bootycall."

"A FUCKING BOOTYCALL? IS HE A FUCKING IDIOT?" Ulquiorra yelled. He wanted to hit someone or something. The feelings of dread and uneasiness burned away. "He's dead. He's fucking dead."

Orihime startled at Ulquiorra's outburst but was glad to hear him talking like himself again, well himself having a justified rage fit. "We'll put him in his place when he gets here," she agreed, shuddering. "Can you even believe that guy? Honestly…"

Ulquiorra was annoyed. All he wanted to do was satisfy this bloodlust running through his mind. It was much like the first time he'd met the asshole in Los Noches. Except for the fact he wanted to eliminate the redhead's friends because their deaths were making her cry. Backwards thinking but it was sound logic at the time. He found his hoodie hanging in Orihime's closet and put it on. "I should fuck you in front of him. I should. I'm not going to but-This is a pissing contest."

She smirked at him. "Hey, I wouldn't necessarily say no… If it was for the greater good an' all," she laughed. "I'm just saying, sometimes seeing is believing. Isn't that what my favorite Espada always used to say?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, amused by her words. "In so many words, yes. Do you think that asshole will listen though?"

"We can make him listen. He can't break my shield unless he's in bankai release. He's tried and failed. It would just be a matter of who has more stamina. And, my power is somewhat linked to his… it's not really clear how it works but it has something to do with the hogyoku? Anyway it seems like I have more reserve power when he is around. Nobody is really sure why. But anyway, if he's in his body and doesn't have access to his battlepass, he can't do anything against me. He can't get out of his physical body without that little trinket. Kind of seems like either a terrible design flaw or a brilliant failsafe, depending on your perspective, don't you think?"

"Let's hope that idiot forgets it."

* * *

It was agreed upon that Ulquiorra would stay in their bedroom until Orihime called him out. The Quincy said no to Ulquiorra stabbing the orange-haired dickhead. Hopefully they'd get to the bottom of this without bloodshed or fighting. He had time to think. Orihime had asked him in the beginning of their relationship to be nice and polite to her friends, even if they were cold-blooded murdering bastards. He'd been nice to Ishida. They had a sort of friendship going on even if it was to bitch about Markus and Kurosaki. He'd gotten along with everyone Orihime introduced him to. He had been nice to Kurosaki when meeting him in that club, a couple months ago.

So Ulquiorra thought about it, while he searched the kitchen and then went back to Orihime's bedroom to wait. He could continue to be civil to Kurosaki although he was scared out of his mind.

Ichigo showed up just before 4:00 in the morning. He knocked and Orihime opened the door, letting him in. "Have a seat. Do you want some coffee or something?" she offered, trying to be civil.

"No, no coffee. C'mere. I haven't seen you in a long time," he said, holding his arms in front of him with his palms up.

Was he expecting a hug? Orihime was disturbed at the thought. "I'll be there in a second, I need some coffee even if you don't," she said as a way to get out of touching the shinigami.

While in the kitchen, she gave the hug a second thought. Having her arms around him would give her the opportunity to feel around for his battle pass, if he had it. And in all likelihood, he had it. She turned from the coffee maker to see him standing right behind her.

"Oh, Kurosaki, uh, -kun. Hi. Um, I'm sorry, did you say you wanted coffee?" she asked, clearly startled by him sneaking up to her.

"No coffee for me, thanks. Why did you call me here in the middle of the night, Inoue?"

It was now or never. Orihime took the two steps that stood between them and wrapped her arms around her former flame's waist. Carefully she raised her palms up to his shoulder blades and back down toward his waist, letting her fingertips brush the tops of his back pockets and then pulling away, trailing her fingertips over the sides of his hips and along the ridge of his front pocket as well. Bingo. She slipped her thumbs into each of his front pockets and applied some pressure, discreetly hooking her left one into the strap of his battle pass, then pressing her breasts into his chest as she dragged the pass out of his pocket and into the front pocket of the hoodie she was wearing.

"What was that for," Ichigo asked in a soft voice, his hand trailing up the outside of one of her arms.

"I just haven't seen you in a long time. Sorry I'm a little sleepy," she offered the lame excuse as she turned around back to the coffee maker. "So, how was your errand for Urahara?"

Ichigo took a step toward her again so he was standing right behind the healer. "It was fine. Nothing special."

Orihime felt trapped. She could feel Ichigo's body heat behind her, and even though he was in his body she could feel his spiritual pressure crowding her.

"I'm glad to hear it, Kurosaki-kun," she said as she ducked away from him and to the fridge to get some milk for her coffee. It was an excuse. She always drank her coffee black. "So, are you going to tell me why Grimmjow was sniffing around here earlier today or do I need to play 20 questions?"

"He was here tonight?" he asked, not at all convincing in his surprise.

"Yes. You were in Hueco Mundo recently. Do you know why?"

"Can't a guy just drop by and say hello to an old friend?" Ichigo asked, using a low voice. He walked over to Orihime and took the milk from her hands and set it on the counter. "Is that why you've invited me here? To talk about some dipshit Espada? Or was it to reconnect to old friends," his voice rumbled low in his chest as his hand came to rest on Orihime's cheek.

Orihime's breath left her, and when she tried to answer Ichigo, no sound came out.

Orihime had promised him that they would stay in the living room. From where Ulquiorra had been stationed at the bedroom door, with it open just a crack, he saw that no one was there. However the light was on in the kitchen and there were two shadows from what he could see. He knew he was supposed to stay in that room. He was supposed to be the ace up their sleeve.

But Kurosaki was a devious asshole.

That's why he left their bedroom. It was a good thing that he did because what he saw made his mouth turn into a fine line; his jaw clenched; his eyes narrowed. "Would the dipshit Espada you're talking about be me or Grimmjow? That's not how old friends act with each other, Kurosaki. Get your hands off the mother of my child."

It was a lie but Kurosaki didn't need to know that piece of information. Ulquiorra expected a reaction from his girlfriend, and he wasn't disappointed. Her eyes grew enormous and her mouth fell open, cheeks flushed. However, before she could speak, the substitute shinigami reacted much more explosively.

"_ WHAT?! _," Ichigo roared, turning on Ulquiorra, taking a step toward him with a threatening posture, before turning his face back to Orihime. "I can't believe you would sink so low, Inoue. And to think I was finally going to give you a chance," his eyes slid back to Ulquiorra for a moment, "Thanks for telling me what a whore your girlfriend is before it was too late."

"She's not but even if she was a whore, she's _mine _and only mine. It's none of your damn business. She never wanted a chance with you, Kurosaki. Why did you send Grimmjow after me?" Ulquiorra seethed. He knew where every knife in the kitchen was. He had plenty of time to find them while Ishida and Orihime talked. If the man tried anything, there would be blood.

Uryu entered kitchen then, worried about the increasing tensions. "I suggest we all take a seat and have a little chat," he said. It was not actually a suggestion. He put his hands on Ichigo's shoulders and started to push. Ichigo spun around ready to pound Uryu into the tiled floor. His fist made contact with something a little less corporeal.

"Dammit, Inoue, get rid of this shit," he demanded.

"No." Orihime replied in a low and steady voice. "Go sit down. I've had it with your bullshit, Kurosaki. We are talking this out once and for all. This shield stays up until further notice. Go sit at the table or in the living room now!"

The three men walked followed her directions without another word.

The green-eyed man stared at Kurosaki. "You can answer the question then leave. We can talk about this like adults. Or, you could continue to act like a child and throw around hateful words just because you can't have what you want. I'm sure we can also somehow file a complaint with the Soul Society for your dismal behavior and abuse of position."

"Oh yeah? Is that what you're going to do? What are you going to do then when I tell them this one," he pointed to Orihime with his thumb, "and you are expecting some bastard halfbreed with mystery powers, huh? I bet that would float like a rock."

"I'm human. Orihime is human. In the_ future _we plan to have children," Ulquiorra stated with a sly look on his face. "She may not be expecting at this moment, but she will be in the future. She's not yours. Your touches were unwanted. You were too close. I can see you want to continue to be a sniveling brat about this."

"Oh yeah right, you didn't see her with her hands all over me as soon as we got into the kitchen."

"Oh for god's sake, Kurosaki. I was looking for this," she said, holding up the battle pass for everyone's benefit, and to soothe Ulquiorra's suspicions, just in case he had taken Kurosaki's bait.

Ulquiorra nodded with a straight face. "I trust Orihime explicitly. You however would lie just to save face, Kurosaki. She had her reasons for touching you as you see."

Uryu was tired. He wanted this to end. "So, Kurosaki. Just tell us what you told Grimmjow. Tell us how we can get him to back off."

Ichigo scoffed. "I just showed him the pictures of Emospada and the princess. What he did with that information is not my responsibility."

"Like hell it isn't!" Orihime shouted. She was livid. "Why can't you just let me be happy, for once in your life, Kurosaki! You always kept me on the backburner and now that I've found happiness, you want to destroy it? What kind of a sick fuck are you?"

Ichigo opened his mouth to retort but couldn't think of anything. He opened and closed it again, and finally blurted out, "You were supposed to end up with me, Hime! It was always going to be you and me. You were the one who decided to go play fashion plates with Mr. Fancypants. I saved the fucking world, remember? I deserve this."

"The hell you deserve her!" Ulquiorra snapped. "You don't deserve anything just for thinking like that. So fucking what if Orihime decided to pursue a passion instead of being a fucking housewife for you, popping out orange haired spawnlings! She's a human not a fucking toy, Kurosaki! You don't get prizes or thanks for doing shit like saving the world or others. Do you see me boohooing because I didn't get a thank you for saving her? What I got was death for sacrificing my life for her."

Orihime was at the end of her rope. She walked to stand beside Ulquiorra and took his hand. "Kurosaki, look at me. See this?" she held up her and Ulquiorra's entwined hands. "This is what is real. This is what I've chosen. He is the one who held onto my heart, not you. _ Across lifetimes. _ You never gave me yours. Why would you expect me to keep mine on ice for you? That's not how life works,so get over it. Now. Someone somewhere has leverage to pressure Grimmjow to back off. Who is it and what do we have to do to get their help?"

The former Espada sighed then glanced at Orihime. "Grimmjow won't bow down to anyone. He's not going to stop until he defeats me. Kurosaki knows that. It's just a matter of when and where. I want to know why he did it. Why did you alert Grimmjow that I was alive? I am human. I'm not a threat to you. Listening to your reasoning though, you do see me as a threat, something to be eliminated."

"You were dead. I killed you. You don't get to come back and woo the princess. That's not how it works. You don't get to make the sacrifice I made be made in vain. You died. I won. You lost. There are no do-overs."

"You want to talk about coming back to life? You want to talk about winning and losing? I put a hole through your chest twice. Not once but two times, Kurosaki. Who brought you back from the dead?" Ulquiorra pointed at Orihime. "This woman did. I didn't woo the princess as you call her. I was in love with her for a long time. You don't get to victimize yourself and play the martyr. You didn't sacrifice anything. You came to Hueco Mundo on your own volition. You were told it was futile to fight and yet you persisted. You may have won. I may have died and lost, but I am no longer an Espada. I am not an Arrancar. I am not a Hollow."

Uryu chimed in. "Not only that, but now he's just a human. A human you are sworn to protect with your life, Kurosaki. You don't get to pick and choose and play god with humans."

"You can't possibly be on their side, Ishida," Ichigo looked at his long-time rival seeking an ally.

Uryu crossed his arms over his chest. "You bet your ass I am. I am going to be Uncle Quin one day. I _love _Orihime. We may not be related by blood or by law but she is the only true family I've got and I'll be damned if I stand in the way of her happiness. You should do the same."

Ichigo groaned and put his head into his hands. "You are all idiots," he murmured. He was not going to be convinced so easily.

Ulquiorra cleared his throat. "Kurosaki, we can make this painless as possible. What you've done is caused me to have to spend more time with Orihime and Ishida. I love my woman dearly. I've found the Quincy's company to be pleasant when he's not moping about ex-boyfriends or bitching that I'm in the way or that he can hear us fucking. You and I could be civil," he said. "If you do not wish to be civil, you can say goodbye to Orihime right here and now because I will not allow someone so hateful to be in her life. She doesn't need it."

"Oh yeah, like you could stop her."

Orihime had had it. Uryu started giggling first. Then Ichigo got up and started swatting around his head, saying, "Knock it off! Make it stop! Damn it, that hurts!"

"I'll stop it when you sit down and shut up and listen to someone for a change," Orihime set the terms for Tsubaki's withdrawal in a firm tone.

"FINE!" Ichigo moaned, sitting back down and covering his head with his hands.

"Good," she said as pleasant as can be. "Now then, make no mistake, Ulquiorra could most certainly stop me from seeing you. All he would have to do is ask. He wouldn't even have to ask. We are partners. We are a pair. We don't step out on one another or hurt each other. All he has to do is act uncomfortable with the idea and I would drop you like a hot potato."

"It's called mutual respect for one another," Ulquiorra added. He turned to the woman. "Did you do the airplane thing at him?"

She smiled wickedly and answered in a low, seductive voice, "Yes. Want me to do it again?"

Ulquiorra shook his head, "We're trying to make friends here, Woman. At least I am trying to keep things civil."

Orihime knew Ulquiorra was right. She was being antagonistic. She took a deep breath and took the seat across from Ichigo. "Kurosaki-kun, I'm sorry things did not work out romantically between us. I struggled with 'what ifs" about you for a long time. By the time you finally showed interest in me, I was over it. I'm sorry. I know how much it sucks. But I also know you can get over it. Besides, you can't be that hung up on me. What was it, two, three months ago last time you visited and hooked up with Yui?"

Ichigo chuckled at that. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that," he said, smiling wistfully and looking off into the distance.

"Oh gross," Orihime whined, getting up from her seat.

Ulquiorra smirked. "You should give Yui a call. She talked about you nonstop after that night."

"Oh yeah?" Ichigo perked up somewhat, then slumped again, looking at Orihime. He sighed. "You really love this guy?"

"I really love this guy."

"Fine. Civil. Give me her number."

"Agreed. Now, get Grimmjow to back down."


	24. Chapter 24

**CHAPTER 24: The No Good Horrible Incident**

Ulquiorra has been having a good week. He and Kurosaki had made their peace with each other. Yui had texted him to say that she was dating someone. There had been no sign of Grimmjow. He also managed to avoid any of Orihime's questions about what he said that night. It had not been easy. Whenever she started asking he'd bring up their collaboration project or he would seduce his girlfriend. When he brought up the collab, her eyes would get big, and she would bounce up and down, excited to hash out ideas.

He knew this tactic would not last for long. Ulquiorra knew that he would have to answer for what he said that night, eventually . He had done a lot of thinking and concluded that no one else would ever touch Orihime. No one would be intimate with her. He wanted her all to himself. He told this to the Novelist over a cup of coffee while he worked in his studio.

The Novelist told him he was crazy.

The artist did not see himself that way. He was merely protecting his heart. Orihime was his heart. She was the reason he was alive. That woman was the reason why he wasn't rotting away in hell right now.

So, when he returned home taking the subway from Koenji to Orihime's apartment, Ulquiorra planned on relaxing when he got there.

"Where have you been! I've been calling you!" a very frantic Uryu yelled when he opened the door.

"What the hell, Quin? I went to my studio to paint and hang out with one of my old neighbors. I told you I was leaving." Ulquiorra said. He knew they were going to be this way. He was tired of listening to the other man bitch. He wanted to paint in silence. He had company. No one attacked him. "I wouldn't know if you had been calling. My phone died."

That was a lie. He had shut his phone off after the first five phone calls.

"Have you been in touch with Orihime?" Uryu asked desperate hope etched into the lines in his brow.

"No," Ulquiorra replied. "You told her I escaped, didn't you?"

"No!" He roughed up his hair and turned to Ulquiorra with a scared expression. "I can't find her. She's not answering her phone. I can't feel her spiritual presence. I can _always _feel it."

Normally, Ulquiorra would remain calm, but he knew that some kind of bond connected Orihime and the Quincy. The other man could extend whatever it was he harnessed and reached out to the woman. "What do you mean you can't feel her? She went to do something with her collection right? Did she go to work on it? What was her schedule for today? I knew I should have gone with her instead of staying here letting you play babysitter."

"She was. She was there, as usual, one minute and then she just vanished. I don't know what your Pesquisa was like, but for me feeling her spiritual pressure is like standing next to a flame, except now that flame has been suddenly blown out. Either something happened to her spiritual pressure, or she left the World of the Living or worse…. Fuck!" Uryu stormed to the door and put on his shoes.

"Where are we going?" Ulquiorra asked, scowling. "What if Grimmjow wasn't waiting for me to be alone? What if he was waiting for Orihime, knowing I would come after her? He couldn't be that smart or stupid."

Uryu paused. "I can only hope he was that stupid. Otherwise, she's already dead." His voice cracked as he said it. "We're going to Karakura."

The thought of Orihime being dead caused his brain to go blank. He didn't know what he would do if that were the case. It wasn't something he could handle. It wasn't something he wanted to entertain. "Kurosaki or Urahara?"

"Urahara. Kurosaki can meet us there."

The train ride seemed to take forever, and Ishida didn't say a word to him, except to mumble or grunt an answer to him. Ulquiorra chewed on his bottom lip, worry, and concern going through him. Maybe Orihime had masked herself. Maybe… No, he had to have faith in her. She said she wasn't interested in the substitute shinigami. Why would her spiritual pressure just disappear?

Ulquiorra mulled over several different scenarios, and none of them turned out good.

When they arrived in Karakura Ichigo was waiting for them with a car outside the train station, doors open and engine running. "What took you two so long?" he asked as Uryu and Ulquiorra ran down the steps toward him.

"We can talk about the state of Japan Rail's infrastructure later. Get us to Urahara's now," Uryu demanded, sliding into the passenger seat.

Ulquiorra got into the backseat. He was sure that the Quincy could have used something faster to get himself to Urahara's, but he had to take the train because Ulquiorra was human. "Have you seen Orihime, Kurosaki?"

"No, I haven't seen her since I was at your place," he answered somewhat distractedly as he weaved through traffic. "Sensing spiritual pressure isn't my strong suit either, so I didn't notice when she went dark. How long ago was it, Ishida?"

"Just over four hours," the Quincy answered in a tight voice.

"Shit," Ichigo hissed.

"What does that mean? Why didn't you try to find out where I was Quin when you felt her disappear?" Ulquiorra asked. He sighed. "Did you even go to the college and see if there was any residual spiritual pressure?"

"Of course I did. I tracked her to her last known location. The thing is, Ulq, I don't keep perfect tabs on her. She deserves some privacy. I wasn't paying attention until I noticed she was gone. I spent an hour looking for her all while calling you. I couldn't find her. I couldn't find you. It's as if whoever is responsible for this was waiting for this perfect set of circumstances."

He knew if he said what was on his mind that Kurosaki would probably throw him out of the car. "Kurosaki? Were you waiting for the perfect circumstances?"

"No! Why the fuck— What could my motivation possibly be?"

"I'm just trying to think of shit so I can keep a level fucking head!" Ulquiorra replied. He was almost to the point of shouting and screaming at the two idiots sitting up front. "Could it have been Grimmjow? Did you talk to him? You did tell him to back down, didn't you?"

Ichigo looked at Ulquiorra in the rearview mirror but said nothing.

Fuck. Kurosaki hadn't spoken to Grimmjow, or he had spoken to him, but the Arrancar hadn't listened to a word of it. "This is all your fault," he mumbled.

"It's not like I have an all-access pass, asshole," Ichigo growled. "I'm only allowed to do things that Soul Society permits. What was I supposed to do? Snap my fingers and make a Garganta or go to Kyoraku with the news that the former fourth Espada is playing house with the girl who is still considered a traitor to Soul Society in some circles?"

"Had you not told Grimmjow I was alive this wouldn't have happened! So what if I'm alive? I. Am. Human. I have no powers. I don't even have spiritual pressure!" Ulquiorra stated.

"He's right, Ulquiorra," Uryu interrupted. "Soul Society isn't an 'innocent until proven guilty' type of place. Keeping your identity hidden is a priority."

Ulquiorra scoffed. "You failed to mention this when my face was plastered all over Japan and in magazines."

"As you said, you're human. You look like Ulquiorra Cifer, but there are probably a hundred other humans on earth who bear a striking resemblance. That alone is not cause for concern. You used an alias. Urahara provides you with a cover story. On top of that, I don't know of any other soul that has ever inherited a body as you did. There is no reason to suspect you unless someone like Aizen or us identifies you." Uryu set his mouth in a firm line after his explanation.

Aizen? Orihime had said Aizen was locked inside of a shinigami prison. Would the Soul Society let him out? "Isn't there something in place that alerts the shinigami patrolling the area that there is an Arrancar just traipsing through the city?"

"Soul Society is dealing with their own internal problems. They're still rebuilding from the last war. It was a mess before the war, but it's still total chaos now, even compared to Las Noches after we trashed the place," Ichigo answered.

"The fact is Soul Society really only keeps tabs on the World of the Living via reports from the shinigami on patrol here. Tokyo is kind of a clusterfuck when it comes to shinigami coverage. Nobody wants to take responsibility when their patrols areas seem to overlap. Lots of things get overlooked. I know you think I can't sleep because of Markus or whatever, but that's not it. It's because I'm always on edge when the useless shinigami patrolling Shibuya is too busy bothering the Shinjuku shinigami to notice hollows on his own beat. That means I have to pick up the slack!" Uryu was pissed off just thinking about it, but he was distracted as Urahara's shop came into view. "We're here."

"Oh," Ulquiorra said. He didn't know that. He thought it was because that Quincy was distraught over breaking up with Marcus that he looked like hell every morning. "One more question before we go in there. What happens if Grimmjow did something to her, assuming he is the one that took her?"

"Then he dies," Uryu said, at the same time Ichigo said, "I'll kill him."

* * *

The three men entered the shop, and Ichigo called out for the feeble old shinigami. There was no answer. Ichigo led the way further inside, slamming sliding doors open as he went, looking for the shopkeeper. He was sloppy in his search, and the darker haired males behind him took up the slack, sticking their heads into the rooms on either side of the hall but finding no one.

Finally, they arrived at a kitchen, and Ichigo stopped short, causing Ulquiorra and Uryu to crash into him from behind. Uryu peered over the orange-haired shinigami's shoulder and gasped. There, on the floor, lay Urahara, surrounded by a pool of blood and with a very faint amount of spiritual pressure. Beyond the body was a large hole in the wall of the kitchen.

"Oh shit!" Ichigo hissed, stepping toward the shopkeeper and checking him for signs of life.

Ulquiorra could only stare at the carnage with wide eyes. He looked around the room for something that would tell him that Orihime had been here. "Is there anywhere else we could check?" he asked after a few moments passed by. "What happened to Urahara?"

"Take a wild guess," Uryu said, his fear causing him to act callously.

"Whoever did this must have come in from downstairs. It's the only place that would hide the amount of spiritual pressure that it would take to incapacitate Urahara," Ichigo said as he turned to find Urahara's study, which held the entrance to his underground training area.

"What the hell is he hiding in the basement?" Ulquiorra asked as he followed the orange-haired male. "You two can't tell me if Orihime is here or not?"

"Urahara's basement is totally sealed. You can't detect anyone's spiritual pressure down there. It is the only place where you can open a Senkaimon or Garganta in the World of the Living and not get noticed."

Ulquiorra pondered this for a moment. "You used this as a means to get to Hueco Mundo the first time?"

The Shinigami nodded. "Yes, Urahara was somehow able to open one for us. He did not reveal how it was done."

"Hollows can rip one open. It's basically tearing through dimensions." Ulquiorra shook his head.

"Unfortunately none of us are hollows," Uryu snarked, still not taking into anyone else's feelings but his own.

"Here it is," Ichigo said, bending over and grabbing the latch of the trap door. "Are you sure you wanna come down here, Cifer?"

Ulquiorra nodded. "My woman might be down there. I cannot be a coward and stay up here. If she's down there-If Grimmjow hurt her-I'll die if that needs to happen. If it will make that blue-haired cat bastard go away and keep her safe, I'll let myself die by his hands. I'll do anything to save her."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Kinda dramatic, don't you think? She's probably just-" he shut his mouth as he pulled the door open and was overwhelmed by Grimmjow's spiritual pressure.

"Oh," was all Uryu said, as he flinched back.

Immediately, Ulquiorra fell to his knees, gasping for breath. Why did he think he could take on Grimmjow when he couldn't even handle the pressure?

Uryu saw his friend fall and grasped him by the arms. "Come on, don't stop breathing, okay? Hime would kill me," he said, dragging Ulquiorra up and onto his back as he jumped through the trapdoor, his feet making footholds with his Quincy Hirenkyaku.

Ichigo pulled out his battle pass and left his body in the study, jumping behind Uryu and getting in front. "Orihime! Inoue!" he shouted, hoping to find her before anything else happened.

"Tell him… to fucking… die," Ulquiorra gasped.

A mad cackling laughter rang through the space. "Kurosaki, what brings you here?" Grimmjow stood on top of a rock formation. Orihime was on her knees at his feet. The Arrancar grinned like a maniac. "And you brought the Quincy. What's that sad sack of shit he's carrying?"

"This sad sack of shit has a message for you, Arrancar. Die!" Uryu called out, setting Ulquiorra into the sand and drawing a bow. He didn't give any other warning before sending an arrow straight toward Grimmjow.

He had been so overcome with rage that he forgot Orihime was sitting there.

Grimmjow would have backed off the spiritual pressure but he couldn't do that when he had fucking arrows flying at him. With a blink of an eye, he had his hand around Orihime's bicep and there was a boom of the Sonido. Grimmjow had made his way halfway across the underground facility. "Try that again and I'll rip her throat out," Grimmjow yelled. "I didn't come here to fight you or Kurosaki. I came for Cifer."

Ichigo was conflicted. He could just give Grimmjow what he wanted. Orihime might forgive him for sacrificing her boyfriend if her life was on the line. He looked at her and decided that was not an option. She had the look of someone ready to kill. Ichigo was going to have to at least attempt a heroic rescue. He sighed, "Fuck you, Grimmjow," as he drew his Zanpakuto and leveled it at the arrancar.

"Awww, Kurosaki, you know I like the pillowtalk but I'm not here to fight you today. I'm serious. By the way, I have princess collared with a nifty little thing the Sternfuckers left behind. I think it was them. Hell, who knows, it could even be something Granz or that asshole upstairs thought up. It basically renders those with spiritual pressure useless. That's why she looks so pissed off." Grimmjow once again laughed like a lunatic.

"Take it off of her, Grimmjow," Ichigo growled, still pointing the sword. He didn't know what else to do.

"Go back up the ladder and leave Cifer."

"No!" Orihime whimpered. Without her spiritual pressure at full capacity, it was a wonder she was still conscious.

"Where's the key, Espada?" Uryu demanded, his eyes dark. He knew what this was. Without the key, Orihime would never be able to take the goddamned thing off. Not if she wanted to keep her head attached to her neck, anyway.

Grimmjow's hand shot out and grabbed Orihime by the hair this time and he returned to the original plateau he'd been standing on. "Cifer, lookie what I got! Want her back?" He waited a moment. "Cat got your tongue? Oh, wait… You're human and I'm practically killing you with my spiritual pressure. Got it. Let's dial it down."

Ulquiorra felt that weight lift off his chest but he was still struggling to breathe. He staggered and stumbled to his feet, having to hold on to the wall. "You're a dick, Grimmjow."

"Yeah, I am. I'll admit it. This is what, twice now that I've gotten the best of you?" Grimmjow laughed. "Tell your friends to go home. I'll kill you and then I'll take your pretty girlfriend back to Hueco Mundo with me."

"Over my dead body, Grimmjow," Ichigo said as he charged at him in a burst of flashstep. He wasn't stupid enough to use distance slashes with Orihime sitting right next to the Arrancar, so he knew his only option was close-contact fighting.

Grimmjow knew how to play dirty. He did it all the time. He did whatever it took to win. He used Orihime as a shield, one hand around her throat and the other holding Pantera. He deflected Kurosaki's first hit as it came dangerously close to cutting his shoulder. The damn shinigami had gotten fast over the years. "I don't think you're taking me seriously," Grimmjow shouted.

"Stop!" Ulquiorra screamed. He was still holding onto that rock. He let go of it, taking a step forward and fell to his knees. Grimmjow had been right, he was a weakling. "Stop, I came here to save her. He can kill me then you two idiots can fight over who kills him. Just make sure she's safe."

Orihime couldn't speak, or barely even breathe, with Grimmjow's hand tight around her throat, but tears of protest streaked down her face. She had promised to protect Ulquiorra, and he was intent to sacrifice himself for her.

She was not the only one who took issue with the current offer. "Ulquiorra, no. Even if you die, he says he is taking her with him. What kind of life would that be?" The Quincy looked to Grimmjow. "What do you plan to use her for in Hueco Mundo, Grimmjow?" he asked.

"Food? Pleasure? I don't know. Whatever my psychotic desires allow for that day," Grimmjow answered with a snarl. "You heard him. He wants to die. Kinda reminds me of Nnoitra."

Neither the Shinigami nor the Quincy were interested in the interpersonal relationships of Aizen's former army. The two rivals looked at each other and nodded, advancing in unison toward Grimmjow. They reached him before Grimmjow could react, Ichigo slashing at the arm that held Orihime.

The screech of metal against metal was loud as their swords clashed again. The blue-haired creature lived for this. He swung Pantera, gouging out the flesh of Kurosaki's arm just as the shinigami's blade hit the wrist that was holding the woman. That carrot topped asshole took a gamble. Grimmjow could hear the crunching of the bone and the squelch of the muscle as it separated. Blood welled from the cut, pouring onto the rocky surface beneath their feet. His Hierro hadn't held up against the force of the shinigami's blade.

He pushed the shinigami back looking at the cut he'd delivered. "You might live, Kurosaki."

A blurred image was all the three saw as Grimmjow threw the woman half way across the top of the rock formation. Then he was gone.

Immediately Uryu and Ichigo rushed to Orihime's side, Ichigo asking her if she was alright, and Uryu going for the collar around her neck. They were in luck; the key was still just sitting in the lock. Uryu turned the key and the clasp of the collar sprung open.

Orihime gasped a deep breath and shrieked, "I reject!"

Her eyes had been trained on a spot on the opposite side of the room, somewhere under the trapdoor.

He unleashed his spiritual pressure, then Grimmjow whistled, bringing their attention to him. He stood across from them in mid-air. In his bad hand, he had Ulquiorra by the throat. His uninjured hand poised to strike. The woman was too late.

He tore through the muscled yet soft surface of Cifer's stomach easily. The muscles were nothing. His snapping ribs were trivial. Grimmjow grabbed onto whatever he could and yanked it out of his body. He could feel things - bones - crack. Then he let the man with the lifeless reptilian eyes fall from his grasp, bright red blood dripping down his arm.

"No!" Orihime wailed, conjuring a shield and jumping onto the surface, racing toward Ulquiorra's lifeless body. This could not be happening. Not again. Not now. It couldn't. It was impossible. She rejected this reality.

She stumbled off her her dissipating shield and looked behind her to her two suddenly useless friends, screaming, "_ Do something _!"

She cast a shield around Ulquiorra's body and stood to the side as a barrage of arrows came raining down toward Grimmjow, followed by a black crescent of spirit energy.

Grimmjow knew when he wasn't wanted around. As soon as he saw the rain of arrows and Kurosaki's infamous move, he knew it was time to go. He dropped Ulquiorra's body and the Getsuga Tenshou hit him in back just as he was ripping apart the fake sky for the gargantua. Pain lanced through him, Grimmjow turned to see more black and blue coming at him. "See you fuckers around," he yelled before he dove through the portal.

Orihime threw herself onto the ground next to Ulquiorra, carefully turning him over onto his back and bringing her rejection dome over his entire body. This was going to be a lot of work. After what Grimmjow had put her through, she knew she would have to dig especially deep to do what she had to do. She promised him. She _would _resurrect him, no matter how long it took.

Uryu walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hime, I'm so sorry-"

"_Don't _say that," she hissed, then changed her tone rather business-like, "I'm going to need some food and water. Stuff with calories. Anything. Just get it, please," she asked.

Uryu nodded. She sounded crazy. Grief could do that to someone, he thought, as he airlifted himself out of the underground in search of the items she had requested.

Ichigo stood at a distance from Orihime. "You know, he wanted this. He came here fully prepared to die for you, Inoue," he said, trying to comfort her.

"SHUT UP! THIS ENTIRE THING IS YOUR FAULT!" she screamed at Ichigo as she began to sob. "If it wasn't for you and your bullshit, Ulquiorra would be alive right now and Grimmjow would know nothing about him! This is all your fault!"

Ichigo reacted selfishly. "What did you want me to do about it, huh? Just let the guy who killed me get away with it? Forgive me that for once in my life I did something for just me."

"Oh, something for _just you? _This isn't like getting a manicure or buying yourself a video game, Kurosaki!" she lectured through her sobs. "You directly caused his death! If you being here didn't increase my spiritual pressure, I would demand that you leave. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to _insist _that you stay. This is not a request. If you deny me this, you will fucking regret it!" She broke down into heaving sobs then, unable to see through the tears that coated her eyes.

Ichigo knew better than to say anything else. He walked several paces away so that he was out of her eyeshot and sat down against a rock.

A few minutes later Uryu returned with a couple of bottles of water and a box of crackers. He opened them and offered them to Orihime, which she immediately took. She ate and drank about half of what he offered her quickly, and felt her power stabilize. It was just a matter of time now, she hoped. She just had to keep trying.

* * *

Four hours later, there had been quite a bit of progress. Ulquiorra's spine had been restored, as had his blood vessels and nerves. There was quite a bit more to be done, though. "Orihime, don't you think you ought to take a break? Ichigo asked.

He should have known better. "Don't you think you ought to shut the fuck up, Kurosaki?!" she lashed out with all the venom she had toward him and Grimmjow combined. Yes, she was making progress, but it was slow. Too slow. She was worried that she would be too late, and when she had finally restored his body, there would be no soul left to enter it. She was desperate. "Please, Ichigo," she said in a small, contrite voice. "Please come sit next to me. I need your spiritual pressure."

Ichigo was shocked that she asked him for help after her outburst. It took a moment for him to really understand what was going on. When he did, he stood and approached her. They sat in silence and the restoration continued.

* * *

Warm. Fluid. He stood there enjoying the sensation. It was much like being stuck in the Caja Negacion. Where that prison box had been cold and unyielding, this was the complete opposite. Ulquiorra didn't know that dying could be this beautiful. He didn't know it could be this peaceful. He thought it was supposed to hurt and burn, like the last time.

This is what he wanted though, right? He wanted to die. He wouldn't have to paint again. He wouldn't need to sleep or eat anymore. He wouldn't get to have sex again.

"What are you thinking?" a voice asked from the darkness that surrounded him. It was soft and tinkling. It reminded him of a child.

"How much I already miss my life," Ulquiorra answered. He didn't try to look for the owner of the voice. It was comforting, almost as comforting as Orihime holding him.

Orihime. That one name sent him reeling.

He hadn't been thinking. He just wanted to make sure she was okay. Ulquiorra didn't even comprehend what his death might mean to her. Her life meant more than his. She had friends that were her family. He just had her.

This time the voice was softer as if it knew what was going through his head. "So, you've learned. This is different than the last time you died. You've touched lives. You matter."

Ulquiorra shrugged. "No, you can never learn the true lesson of what life is trying to teach us. I got to live more lifetimes than others. I got two lifetimes with her. I'm content with that."

"Ah, she's reaching for you. Are you going to go with her?"

Ulquiorra turned his head in the direction of the golden light, feeling the warmth bathe his face.

"This will change you, you know."

He nodded. Dying several times... How could a person stay the same? "I think... I think I will go with her. I won't go to hell."

"It will change more than that."

In an instant, his eyes sprang open, that golden dome was over top of him and he sat up scrambling to get out of it. He automatically shifted his body and was gone.

When his feet hit flat ground, Ulquiorra gasped. That wasn't a Sonido. He wasn't a hollow. He was standing a few feet away, staring at the trio.

He felt a draft of air and he looked down, confused. Ulquiorra's clothing was stained and ripped.

Grimmjow. Grimmjow did this.

Ulquiorra pulled off his shirt to see his skin was fine. There was a bit of puckering where the Arrancar's hand had entered him. Other than that, he was fine. He looked at Orihime and then the Quincy and finally the shinigami. "I was dead," he stated. Giddiness ran through him.

Orihime's mouth was frozen in an unbelieving gape, even as her body lurched. Her hands hit the ground in front of her, but she didn't allow her eyes to leave him for more than a split second. He was alive! Hysterical, choking sobs overtook her as she looked at Ulquiorra, unblinking and stunned.

Something was building in his chest and he couldn't place the sensation. It was a pulling or tugging inside of him. Ulquiorra looked at Kurosaki. "Asshole, get over here I need you to do something."

Ichigo was also at a loss. His eyes grew large and he looked from side to side with a confused expression for a second, before taking a step forward. Then he paused, "What do you want?" he asked cautiously.

"Cut me."

"What?! No! Do you want her to kill me? Wait, don't answer that…"

Ulquiorra held up a finger and was going to answer. Instead, he laughed. "How did I get out of that thing. It wasn't a Sonido. They make booms. Something… Inside… It's knitting. That's the only way I can describe it. Cut me. Quin, will you cut me? I want to test something out."

Uryu had recovered from his shock more quickly than his ginger-haired friends and shrugged, nocking an arrow and sending it hurtling with surgical precision toward Ulquiorra's forearm.

When the arrow struck his arm, Ulquiorra didn't realize it would be burning hot. He hissed as the thing sliced open a gash across the top of his arm. Blood started coming to the surface. It hadn't been a deep cut.

"Shit. I was wrong," Ulquiorra said, watching as blood continued to weep out of the cut.

"What are you doing?" Orihime yelped, getting to her feet and approaching Ulquiorra with unsteady steps. "I reject," she called again. This time, Ulquiorra was able to see two tiny "airplanes" zip toward him and surround the cut on his arm with a small dome.

He brought his arm up and stared at the two things. Ulquiorra's brows rose and fell in confusion. Then he saw them through the golden glow. "They're people. You have people in your hairpins, Woman. Tiny, tiny people."

"They're parts of my soul," she murmured. Exhaustion was quickly catching up to her. Ulquiorra was well. Her task was complete, her promise fulfilled. Uryu had been watching her trembling legs and anticipated her collapse. He caught her before she hit the ground, completely spent.

With wonder, he continued to watch the fairies do their thing and then they were gone. He realized they looked more like stylized birds than airplanes. Whatever. It was another idea for a tattoo. He looked around and spotted Orihime lying on the ground.

If Ulquiorra was smart and sometimes as a human, he wasn't, he would have realized he exerted a lot of energy. He just went through some heavy trauma. He needed to rest and his body needed to heal. The first step he took towards his lover was a doozy. He blacked out and fell right on his face in the dirt.

Ichigo sighed. "He fell hard and fast."

Uryu groaned. "Really? Really Kurosaki? Now you think you're funny? Motherfu-"

"_Oh shit _! Urahara!" Ichigo pulled out his phone and dialed the number he had for the Vizards who were still in the world of the living. He explained the situation and what had happened. Hiyori said Hachi would be there as soon as possible. The orange-haired male ended the call and then looked down at then two prone bodies. "Cifer better not weigh a ton."

"I'm glad you have enough sense to not try touching Orihime. Speaking of sense, did you feel it?" Uryu asked, eyeing Ulquiorra and looking back to Ichigo with a spark of interest apparent.

"Did I feel what?" Ichigo asked.

What an idiot, Uryu thought. "Cifer's spiritual pressure."


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25: ****Reborn and Ready**

His head was killing him. When Ulquiorra opened his eyes, he saw the faces of Kurosaki and the Quincy. Both were staring at him like he had acquired another head and started talking in tongues. "What are you two doing in my bed-" His green eyes shifted between the men.

"Don't you remember our threesome last night?" the Quincy asked with a smirk, before his face grimaced. Ichigo had punched him in the shoulder.

Ulquiorra choked on air after hearing that. "What? No. We did-No! I don't even like you." He sat up and looked around. "Wait a minute. Where are we?" These walls and the futon he was laying on did not look familiar.

"We are at Urahara's," Ichigo answered in an unamused voice. "You have only been out for a couple of hours. I don't like you either."

"Good. Where's Orihime? Why are we here?" Ulquiorra scowled at Kurosaki before he directed his questions at the Quincy. "What happened?"

"You passed out. Orihime's in another room. She collapsed. She's just tired."

That made sense to Ulquiorra. He motioned for the two males to get out of his space. He wanted to get up. "Did anyone get to kill Grimmjow?" he asked once he was standing.

Kurosaki answered, "No. He was injured when he escaped. But he opened a Garganta and snuck out."

He took a couple steps before the room swam and he tottered like a drunk. "Okay, it's obvious I'm not going to be running five k's any time soon," Ulquiorra mumbled. "Someone take me to her."

"C'mon, Cifer," Uryu said, putting his arm under his temporary roommate's shoulder. "I'll take you to 'your woman'", he laughed.

A few dozen shuffles of his feet later, Ulquiorra was sitting beside where Orihime lay. She looked exhausted. "She's going to hate me when she wakes up," he said. He lifted his head and turned it as if he were listening to something. "There are eight people here with spiritual pressure."

"Eight? I only sense six," Kurosaki mentioned.

"She's not going to hate you," Uryu spoke over the shinigami.

"That shouldn't be your concern, Kurosaki. The fact is that this town is teeming with spiritually aware humans and I can feel them. How do I know this?" Ulquiorra sighed and took the redhead's hand. "Yes, Quin, she will hate me. She told me not to die or how would my death affect her… Something like that. I did it anyway."

"You should know her well enough by now to know that she is very forgiving. You survived. Nothing else will matter," Ichigo grumbled.

Ulquiorra scoffed. "You don't sound very happy that I'm alive — no matter. You're both idiots. Why did you put her in danger? Why didn't you come up with a plan to capture him?"

Ichigo scoffed back, but it was Uryu who answered. "Don't you know? She's her own boss. We can't tell her what to do. I think you'll be sorely mistaken if you think otherwise. As for a plan to capture Grimmjow, he kind of had us bent over a barrel. He was using Hime as a human shield. Would you have preferred that we let her be collateral damage?"

"What did she do to me? Why can I tell that Kurosaki is weaker than you, Ishida?" Ulquiorra turned his head to look at the two men.

Ichigo looked offended as Uryu took on a smug expression and answered, "I don't know, but your spiritual pressure is something else. I've never felt something quite like it. I don't know if Orihime told you, but my sensitivity toward spiritual pressure is unrivaled. I felt yours when you were an Arrancar. It's not the same now."

Another nod. Ulquiorra then sighed and thought about what happened. He had died. He knew that much. Something had happened to him. How much time had passed between when he died, and Orihime had healed him? "I'm not quite human either."

"I don't know about that, Cifer-san," an older voice said as he was wheeled into the room. "Your body is quite human. That alone dictates that you are human; just as much as Ishida-san and Kurosaki-san."

"Urahara, how did you…?" Ichigo trailed off, looking at the shopkeeper like he had seen a ghost.

"Hachigen is a professional," is all the shopkeeper said, eyeing the young shinigami with a dark smile before turning his attention back to Ulquiorra. "I imagine you must be feeling very confused."

"Somewhat," he answered. "What happened to me? Why would I-How did I-" Ulquiorra sighed in defeat. Words were escaping him. "Did my death cause this or was it Orihime's powers?"

"It is curious, isn't it, Cifer-san? I am afraid we may never know the details. I could run tests if you'd like, but I very much doubt the results would be definitive. You see, your first rebirth was an anomaly. To come back again, and to be resurrected by Inoue-san… There is a lot of mystery involved. However, I suspect that it was a combination of things. At any rate, the how isn't as interesting as the what. Do you sense it, Cifer-san? Your new abilities? Your new frequencies? It appears that Inoue-san has imparted some gifts to your soul."

When he thought about it, after Orihime had healed Kurosaki the second time he gained a new power, it was in the form of a more powerful Vasto Lordes, but still. It was a power that the shinigami had not previously possessed. "I was able to use Sonido… or something like it. I can detect spiritual pressure. I could feel my body healing but when I was cut," he paused and held up the arm that Ishida had cut with his arrow. His arm was fine. No cut marred the surface.

"You have got to be kidding me," Ulquiorra stated, staring at his arm. "I don't think it was Orihime's powers that did this."

It was Ichigo who reacted most strongly. "What the… humans can't regenerate! I can't regenerate! It's not…. How come he gets it, and I have to go to squad four like the rest of the plebs?"

Urahara chuckled. "Who knows, Kurosaki-san. We can't have everything. You have more than one shortcoming, by the way," he said under his breath.

"He has an entire book of shortcomings," Ulquiorra said, with a smile. "I want to file a complaint with Soul Society by the way. Why would they let an Arrancar survive, especially one as dangerous as Grimmjow?"

Urahara smiled in a paternal fashion. "Cifer-san, a truce has been made between Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, and by extension its leadership. Grimmjow attacking you does not negate the alliance. You're going to need to keep a low profile if possible. It's not in your best interest to attract the attention of Soul Society. They are not paying very close attention to the world of the living these days. It would be completely possible for you to escape their detection until the end of your natural life."

Sighing, Ulquiorra looked at the older man. "How long will that be? Another couple of years? I don't plan on being detected by them. What would happen anyway? I think Kurosaki killing me the first time would be punishment enough for my past crimes."

"Indeed. Your crimes are not what would interest Soul Society. Your mystery would interest them, especially the research division. It would be best not to raise their curiosity. There are plenty of spiritually aware humans in the world of the living. There is only one, to my knowledge, former Espada who stole a corpse and shed his power. The long and short of it is that you _are _interesting. You do not want to be interesting. You don't want to wave a flag and announce your former affiliation with Aizen. If a complaint is really what you want I can lodge one for you, on your behalf, as a human who is friendly with Kurosaki-san. I would not advise getting any more involved than that."

He turned a level gaze at Kurosaki then shook his head. It wouldn't be good to file anything with Soul Society. They'd come sniffing around, and he'd probably share a cell with Aizen after it was all said and done. "I'm a freak of nature then… You don't know what caused my soul to inhabit a body. You don't know why I suddenly have powers."

"I have my suspicions, but that's all that they are. Unless you are able to find the realm of God and ask that being yourself, or unless the same thing that happened to you were to repeat itself, allowing me to study it as a replicable phenomenon, we will never know definitively what caused you to come into being as you are. In the end, does it really matter? It is what it is. You can't change it. Would you want to?"

"I wouldn't change it ever. I would never want to go back to what I was before. I just wish I could go back in time to meet Orihime sooner. That's the only thing I would change," Ulquiorra said.

"Well, you haven't missed much time, Cifer-san," Urahara said with a good-natured chuckle. "Inoue-san is what, only 23 years old? She has just come into her prime as a human. Let me look at you," he said, narrowing his eyes and looking the green-eyed man up and down. "It appears your body is that of a young man, probably mid-twenties as well. You both have your entire lives ahead of you. I think your timing is perfect," he finished from behind his fan.

The men left him alone in the room with Orihime. Ulquiorra laid down next to her, propping his head up with his palm, watching how she breathed and how the muscles in her face moved to various expressions. "Orihime," he said after some time had passed.

She smiled in her sleep, tilting her head toward him a bit.

Ulquiorra brushed her face with his fingers. "Woman, wake up. I miss you."

"Hmm?" the soft vocalization flared her nostrils as her eyes fluttered open. Her smile stretched wider across her face. "Good morning, Love," she murmured as if it was just another day, rolling toward him and burying her face into his chest, only for her breathing to level out into slow, steady draws again as she drifted back into sleep.

He wasn't going to complain about this but he had to wake her up. "Orihime, it's not morning. I think it's closer to evening. We're also not at home."

"Huh?" her voice vibrated into his skin. She rubbed her brow into his shirt and then slowly pulled her head away. "Where are we, then? Why am I asleep?" She looked completely disoriented.

"Urahara's. You and I both collapsed after what happened with Grimmjow," he gently explained.

"What?" she asked before things slowly started coming back to her. Her eyebrows rose as she rolled onto her back, a palm coming to rest on her forehead as she was assaulted by the memories. Her eyes slid over to him in a disapproving way. "You died. I told you not to die." She held the stern gaze for a moment but relented with a smile after only several seconds. "Ah well. I told you I'd bring you back, didn't I? Ye of little faith…"

Ulquiorra gave her a disapproving look. "I told you not to, and yet, you did. So we're both even. You did something to me. Your spiritual pressure is-" he didn't want to say she was weak, but it could be due to the fact she had spent a good portion of the day healing him. He decided to reveal this new development in a different way. "I saw your fairies."

Her eyes widened in delight. "I _thought _you smelled different!" She grinned and propped herself up on one elbow. She put a hand on his chest and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply, her eyebrows lifting and her cheeks appling. "It's you! It's you, but it's a little me," she said with amusement. "You saw my fairies? Were they nice to you?" she asked, opening her eyes. She was beyond excited, despite her state of exhaustion.

He raised an eyebrow in confusion. How could he smell different? This situation was becoming more and more bewildering. "Can they talk? They didn't say anything but hovered above my skin and then disappeared. That happened right around the time you passed out. Orihime, what did you do to me?"

"I rejected your death. I rejected the damage to your body. While I do it, my spiritual pressure flows through your body. I suppose it infused yours with mine somewhat. Also, perhaps I rejected some of the loss of your original spiritual pressure; I can feel a bit of Espada in you. It's not all me."

Ulquiorra huffed. "I told you not to do that. I think I can teleport. I can tell who has spiritual pressure. I think I can regenerate too, but I'm not going to test that. You freaked out enough the first time."

"What do you mean? And don't tell me not to…" her brow knitted as she recalled seeing him dead. Her chin dimpled and her eyes became mostly closed. "Don't expect me to live without you," she whispered, her lower lip getting sucked back into her mouth as her breath hitched.

Shit. He'd put his foot in his mouth again. Ulquiorra leaned over and kissed her softly. "Woman, I wasn't thinking when I said it, I know that. Still, I'm nothing to get upset over."

"You take that back. _ Nothing to get upset over. _ How would you feel if I died? Huh? Would you just brush your hands and say, "Welp, nothing to get upset over, move along?"

Ulquiorra had time to think about the answer to this question. He knew he would upset her with the answer, so he stayed silent.

"Well?" She wasn't going to let it go.

"If you died, I was going to find that drug house." Ulquiorra looked away from her.

She closed her eyes and exhaled heavily. She didn't like his answer, but she didn't judge him for it. It was no worse than what her own response might have been had she been unable to save him. "Well, you don't have to," was all she said, at first. Then she pulled back to look at him with a somewhat wry expression, "you mean you wouldn't jump at the chance to resume your old life as C. "Manwhore" Murcielago?"

His mouth formed a straight line. "Woman, you're the only one I wanted. You're the only woman I need. Everyone who came before you was a paltry and poor substitution. If I can't have you, I would rather not be here."

She smiled a sad, little smile. "There it is. Your feelings are the same as mine. See? You are most definitely something to get upset over."

"I'm not but we can agree to disagree on the subject." Ulquiorra looked at her the frown still on his face. "What happened this morning?"

She shook her head, displeased with his dismissal of her feelings. Nevertheless, she decided to let it go for now to address his question. "You mean when Grimmjow took me? I don't know. I was at school, leaving to go get a coffee across the street. The next thing I knew I felt his spiritual pressure, but it came at me too fast. I had my shield starting to go up when he put that collar on me. Then, he… He acted like everything was normal. He just walked down the street with me pulling me none-too-gently by the arm until we were away from people, and then he used sonido to take me here. Without my spiritual pressure I was not able to stay conscious for more than a second when he used sonido. When I came to I was laying in the sand downstairs. I couldn't really talk or anything, he wasn't trying to mask his spiritual pressure at all."

Ulquiorra's eyes took on a murderous expression. His lip curled into a sneer. "Hopefully Grimmjow won't bother us any longer. He probably thinks I'm dead and gone. I went to the studio this morning to paint and when I came back Ishida was going crazy. He said you were gone and I wanted to panic but couldn't. Our feelings about each other may be the same, Orihime, but you have much more to lose if you were to die. I only have you."

"You don't know, do you?" she smiled and touched his cheek.

He leaned into her touch and nuzzled the palm of her hand with his nose. "What don't I know?"

"How much you already mean to the world. Not only to me. You have people who care about you. Quin would be at a loss if you died. Bereft, even. Your neighbors would be devastated. Yui would mourn you. You have so many people who need you," her eyes filled with tears. "And I… I would not survive your death. Not again."

He had to blink several times in order for tears not to fall from his eyes. Ulquiorra sniffled, burying his head in her chest. He hadn't expected her answer to impact him like it did. He felt her hands running through his hair and down his back. "Why me?" he asked after a few minutes.

She squeezed his head to her chest and then tilted his chin up to look at him. "Because you are a beautiful soul. You dazzle me. You overwhelm me with the depths of your ability to feel and to touch me. I feel complete when I am with you. When we are apart I am at a loss. You believe in me. You see me. You make me whole. You are the sun in my sky," she paused to kiss his brow. "The handsomest man I ever met," she kissed his cheek, "And the fiercest too," she kissed his other cheek and squeezed his shoulders, sighing in contentment.

Tears came to his eyes again. This was not how the fucking fourth Espada acted, but then again, Ulquiorra was no longer one of those. He wasn't a Hollow. "Orihime…" He was at a complete loss for words. He didn't know how to tell her how much he loved her or how devoted he wanted to be to her. "I love you, Woman. I want to live with you forever."

She held him tighter. "I want that, too. I love you, Ulquiorra."

"Would it be in bad taste to fuck your brains out here or should we wait until we're home?"

"Honestly…" she groaned in disapproval.

"What? You know what I mean when I say fuck. I mean I want to worship your body and I want to give you as much pleasure as I can. Calling it love-making makes me turn red," he mumbled this last part, looking up at her.

"Get over it. You could use a little education on romance…" she grumbled, looking away from him. She didn't loosen her hold on him though.

"I know what romance is," he said, stretching his neck far enough to kiss her chin. "Is that you want? Flowers, chocolate, sweet nothings whispered in the middle of-" Ulquiorra paused as he felt his face become hot. "Making love." He laughed at himself. "I do love you. Don't get mad at me because I'm trying to lighten the mood of the events today."

She shook her head at his lame attempt and sat up, swinging her legs out to the side of the futon. "Hmm, it seems like everyone is still here." She sighed. "_ He _is still here. I'm still mad at him," she said, not expecting a reply but putting it out there. "He did help me save you though, in the end…" Her eyes widened. "No… No way…"

Orihime climbed back onto futon and walked back to Ulquiorra on her knees, putting a hand on each of his shoulders, closing her eyes, and taking a deep breath. "No freaking way!" she said again with an incredulous laugh.

"What?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Um, your new and improved spiritual pressure… it is infused with mine, as we talked about. It almost smells like you stole a bit of me and incorporated into you, which I find incredibly sweet, by the way. But... I'm not the only one you swiped spirit juice from," she said, laughing, clutching her side, completely blown away by the irony. "Guess who else has a new power buddy?"

A groan left him. "Don't tell me it's Kurosaki. I will go play in traffic if it is."

"Okay, I won't tell you," she said, still giggling.

* * *

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	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26: Butting Heads**

Urahara insisted that Ulquiorra stay for several days to run some tests. The artist did not want to do that but after Urahara explained some things about souls to him, he decided it would be worth it. They needed to make sure that his soul chain was unbroken and test out his "powers". Was this whole powers thing going to be trouble? He had this nagging feeling in his gut that somewhere down the line it was going to come back and bite him on the ass.

He could tell the scientist was eager to ask questions and take samples. Ulquiorra wanted to decline his requests; he wanted answers, but then again he didn't. If he had answers, that meant he had some connection to Kurosaki. There was no way in hell he wanted to be in any part of that asshole's life. The first day of captivity was spent in some kind of laboratory. Blood was taken from his arm, a hair sample. Urahara made him urinate into a cup and then came the big thing.

"I need a sperm specimen," the ex-shinigami said.

"What? Why?"

"I'm going to see if I can clone you."

"Fuck off," Ulquiorra said. "If I'm going to have kids, I'm making them the natural way, thanks."

Then he was poked and prodded by Isshin, Kurosaki's dad. He sat in an exam room and found out everything there was to know about him. He was about twenty-four or twenty-five. He was five-feet-eight-inches tall. His heart beat faster than normal humans. His body temperature was slightly higher than Orihime's. His lungs sounded clear.

"Okay, I'm going to need you to take your pants off and-"

"Nope, hell no. I'm done with this, you fucking perverts today with your bullshit-"

The doctor burst out in laughter. Then explained to Ulquiorra about checking his testicles. It was something for cancer. "You can pee on a pregnancy test and if it's positive, you might want to see a real doctor."

"You're not a real doctor?" Ulquiorra asked, wondering what the hell kind of place these people in Karakura operated.

"I'm a real doctor but I just run a clinic. I meant a hospital."

The last thing the man checked was his eyes. A bright light was pushed into his field of vision. Ulquiorra squinted against the brightness but kept his eyes open for this strange test.

"You have vertical pupils."

"Yes, I had them when I was a hollow."

Isshin nodded. "You were an Espada?"

Ulquiorra scowled for a moment. "Yes, I killed your son twice."

"You clearly failed in that endeavor," Isshin whispered loudly. That made Ulquiorra roll his eyes.

As far as the doctor could tell his eyes were shaped just like a reptile's or a cat's. It didn't make sense though. "I turned into a bat. I was a huge fucking bat."

"Well in this life, you're not Bruce Wayne," the doctor said as he packed his things and left.

The sun was setting when he finally stumbled into the room Orihime was sitting in. She had been urged to stay there to because of her collapse. Ulquiorra figured she stayed because of him. He thought it was a sweet gesture but he didn't deserve it. He flopped down beside her and then studied her for a moment. "I don't want to ever go to the doctor's again," he told her.

"That bad, huh?" She chuckled, looking down at him. "Anything to report? Can you shoot a bala or transform into a unicorn?"

"I am a healthy mid-twenties male who has funny eyes and Urahara wants to clone me. I declined. So far nothing strange about me physically," Ulquiorra said. "Tomorrow we'll be testing powers and I don't want to. I don't want Kurosaki or the Quincy in there while I do this. What if they're against me?"

"Well I can't speak for Kurosaki but I know Quin isn't bothered by you. As far as them being present, leave it to me; I can always find a way to distract them," she answered, waggling her eyebrows at him.

Ulquiorra sighed. "We will find out tomorrow how good I am. I'm hoping you gave me awesome destructive powers… At least enough to wipe the smirk off Kurosaki's face."

She pulled her lips back to show her teeth in a display of uncertainty. "Knowing my skill set, I wouldn't count on it… But you never know!" she smiled, trying to be encouraging.

* * *

The next morning dawned too early and too painful for Ulquiorra. He wasn't used to sleeping on the floor. Orihime must have already woken up because she wasn't in the room. Standing up he stretched, feeling his joints pop and protest the movement. He moved out of the room and followed the voices down a hall. He found his girlfriend and her friends sitting there with others that he did not know.

"Ah, Cifer-san! You're awake! Would you like something to eat-"

"No," he stated in a flat voice. "I just want to get this over with. Can't Orihime fight me instead to test this out?"

Ichigo got to his feet with a bit of a lazy swagger in the movement. "Oh, you want to fight? Why not pick on someone closer to your own size?" he challenged, stepping between Ulquiorra and the woman.

Ulquiorra scowled. "That's not what I meant but I know that you're just itching to fight me, again," he stated. "I know Orihime would test me, instead of trying to maim or kill me."

Ichigo scoffed. "She couldn't hurt a fly anyway. It's no way to test out new powers, against some namby-pamby glitter dome." He craned his head around toward the seated female. "No offense, Inoue, it's just you know you are useless in a fight," he said, trying to act nice but failing.

The glare deepened. How dare this idiot insult his girlfriend like that. Orihime said she had helped Kurosaki during the bullshit with the Soul King. The orange-haired shinigami had not said anything to the contrary. He had just said he'd saved the world once again… Ulquiorra thought he was exaggerating but it wasn't his place to knock Kurosaki off his pedestal. "If you would actually support your friend, you would realize she's not useless, asshole. She brought you back to life twice."

Orihime stood from the table and sighed. "It's no use, Ulquiorra, but thanks for trying. She walked out of the room, slapping Kurosaki upside the head as she walked past, hissing, "Dickhead," as she left the room.

"What the hell is wrong with her," Kurosaki grumbled as he watched her stomp out of the room, eyes glued to her ass until he was smacked in the back of the head a second time, this time by Ishida.

"Incorrigible," the tall black-haired man muttered as he followed Orihime out of the room.

"You're an idiot. If you think you're going to kick my ass-" Ulquiorra started to say but was cut off by Urahara.

"Let's not throw threats around. We need to see what you can do first before we test your limits."

The green-eyed man nodded. He agreed with this assessment but he didn't like the idea of Kurosaki knowing what he could do. It just seemed like it would be too easy for the male to go blabbing his big mouth to the supposed king of Hueco Mundo. "Alright, I'll go talk to Orihime and we will meet you down there."

When Ichigo finally got to the underground training area, he immediately used his battle pass and stepped out of his body like he was peeling off a smelly shirt. "Ah, this is more like it," he said with an appreciative hum, flexing his spiritual pressure just to show off a bit.

Orihime rolled her eyes from her position further afield. "What a douche," she commented to the dark-haired men standing on either side of her.

Ulquiorra snorted with amusement. "Woman, listen, if this gets out of hand, I don't want you coming to help. Just stay back with Urahara whenever he gets down here, okay? I can take care of this myself. After all, you've given me some gifts."

Orihime's eyebrows pinched. "If it gets really out of hand I'm stepping in. I can't let you die again right after I saved you. I don't know how many times you can respawn," she said with a nervous chuckle, not looking at him.

"I asked for at least five lifetimes," he said with a smirk. He caught the sound of her laughter and it didn't sit well with him. "No matter. I'm going to defeat Kurosaki and then I'm going to take on the Quincy."

"You don't say?" Uryu said cocking an eyebrow at Ulquiorra. "I'd like to see you try," he said, turning his face back toward Kurosaki and smirking.

"You pussies have all day to sit around scheduling your next brunch or are you going to come at me?" Ichigo taunted.

Ulquiorra turned from the female redhead and faced the male one with a deadly expression on his face. Urahara wasn't down here yet, so he was just having a verbal bitchfest with the man. "You're just as childish and immature as you were six years ago."

"Tch, I'm surprised you even remember, Ulquiorra. I bet it stung watching your girlfriend choose me over you back then, didn't it?"

Oh no, he fucking didn't, Orihime thought. "Fuck you, Kurosaki! If you hadn't—" she was cut off by Urahara.

"Is everyone ready? We've already come to the conclusion that Cifer has the power of detecting spiritual pressure. He moved with flash step the other day," the blond man said. "Kurosaki seems to think you are able to regenerate at a high speed. So Kurosaki, please draw your zanpakuto. Cifer hold out your arm. I want you to cut him, don't take his arm off, understand Kurosaki?"

"Yeah, fine," Ichigo grumbled to Urahara before glancing back to Ulquiorra. "Come on Cifer, which one do you want me to cut? The one with the bat or the one with the precious little heart?" he taunted with a coddling voice.

Ulquiorra looked at Kurosaki and sneered. There was no way in hell he would allow the man to cut him. "Neither, the only part of my body that isn't marked is my back. Tattoos cost money and I will not tolerate you ruining them." He stared at the man as he took off his shirt throwing it back to where Orihime stood and turned around. He didn't trust Kurosaki but he wasn't about to let the man ruin all the art that he had dedicated to Orihime.

"Ulquiorra, no! What if it's like… What if the same rules apply as when you were an Espada? I can always restore a tattoo. I don't know if I can restore your liver twice in as many days!" she whisper-shouted.

Ulquiorra gave her a flat stare. "He's just going to cut me, Orihime. That's it. If he stabs me I'm going to rip off his head," he stated. "Do it Kuro-"

He didn't have to wait. It was as if the shinigami had moved before Ulquiorra had given the word. A spray of bright red blood fanned out behind Ulquiorra. "There you go, buddy," Ichigo said with a grin, crossing his arms over his chest and looking pleased.

Pain erupted and Ulquiorra fell to his knees, hissing at he felt warm liquid spill down his back in a diagonal line. It reached from his shoulder to the waist of his jeans.

Orihime lurched forward, about to call on her fairies. Uryu had quick reflexes though, and grabbed her by the elbow, clamping a palm over her mouth. "No, Hime. You know better," he cautioned.

It took several minutes but Ulquiorra could feel his back itching. It was uncomfortable and almost unbearable he wanted to twist his arms to where he could reach that skin and tear it off. It took about four minutes for the cut to completely heal itself and he had a nice pale scar dissecting his skin.

Urahara nodded and wrote something down on a clipboard. "I wouldn't call it high speed but you can definitely regenerate," the shopkeeper stated.

"Are you done? What about the scar? Do you want me to…?" Orihime trailed off after Quin let her go. Ulquiorra had thrown an unamused look in her direction.

"I'm fine," he managed to groan as he got to his feet. He then turned a baleful glare at the shinigami. "Ready to get your ass kicked, Kurosaki?"

Ulquiorra regretted those words.

It only took seven minutes for the orange-haired man to leave him bruised, bloody and panting on the other side of the basement. Ulquiorra could see Orihime, she had her hands covering her face and it looked like she was crying. So far he had no powers to attack nor did he have any to protect himself. What fucking good was he? He was about as fucking useless as his girlfriend-Shit. He shouldn't be thinking that.

He huffed several breaths out of his mouth as he struggled to get to his feet, leaning against a rock that had been split in two. He glared at the shinigami. "Is that all you got?"

Again, he regretted that sentence. Three minutes later Ulquiorra had a cut going across his chest and Kurosaki looked pissed off. That black zanpakuto was raised and just as he was about to bring it down for another slice, Ulquiorra shouted, "I reject!"

Orihime said that her power had been thought focused or something. If she wanted to protect something she just yelled, i reject. The same thing he had tattooed on his inner wrist. The woman could shrink and expand her golden domes at will. She even said she had an attack that was better than the one she had tried to throw at Yammy.

What Ulquiorra produced was a fucking joke. The small diamond-shaped shield was small and barely a foot wide. The black metal broke through it, like a knife through softened butter. That sharp blade stopped several inches from his face. Ulquiorra could only stare at the yellow-tinged shield that was between him and the other man. Orihime had put that barrier up between them for the second time.

The first reaction to seeing the woman standing several feet away was relief but then irritation washed over him. The relief was there because she possibly just saved his ass from a painful death. The irritation came because she interfered with their fight once more. Had she never brought Kurosaki back to life the first two times he wouldn't be laying on his back feeling his entire body start that insane itching that made him want to scream. He narrowed his eyes at her and then turned them on Kurosaki as he got to his feet. "Really? That's really all you got? You're holding back, aren't you? All talk and barely any action. That's what Yui said."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at the injured man, walking toward him slowly. He pointed to his sword and said, "You know that all I would have to do is wave this thing at you in Bankai for you to be obliterated, right?" His voice became more menacing and quiet as he got closer. "We couldn't have that, could we? Poor Yui would be devastated if her one true love, " he used the coddling voice again, "was to be cut down in the prime of life." He paused as he stood shoulder to shoulder with Ulquiorra, then turned his face toward his ear and whispered, "Besides, I think my chances of fucking your girlfriend will be significantly impaired if I murder you in cold blood, so there's that."

Ulquiorra managed to give the dickbag a side-eyed stare. Something in Ulquiorra's face must have turned dark as he lifted his hand, fingers curling. A jet of emerald green energy shot out from Ulquiorra's finger. It quickly wrapped around the shinigami's throat and all the green-eyed man did was curl his fist. That reiatsu tightened around Kurosaki's neck. "You're not fucking touching her. You're more of a fuckboy than I am. All you want to do is use her!"

"Kurosaki?" Uryu called, beginning to worry, as the shinigami's face began to take on an unnatural color. "Ulquiorra, let him go!" The taller man demanded, striding toward the other two.

"Ulquiorra, what's going on?" Orihime called out. "What is that thing?"

He said nothing; he just kept tightening his hand, staring at the other male. He was turning purple. Ulquiorra watched Kurosaki's face and then finally sent the man flying with just a flick of his wrist. It was satisfying watching that shinigami fuck fly into a rock wall.

Ichigo lay there for a good half-minute before he was able to shake off the impact and stagger to his feet. "What the fuck was that?!" he roared, picking up his legs and shaking them off one at a time before rolling his shoulders. "Ow, goddammit!" he yelled, as he felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder. "Inoue, a little help here?" he asked, expectantly.

"Go fuck yourself, Kurosaki," she said, loud enough to be heard across the grounds but not loud enough to be considered a shout. She redirected her attention toward Ulquiorra and approached him carefully. "Is everything alright, Babe? What was that thing you just did?"

Ulquiorra brought whatever he just did back to him, staring at his hand with wide eyes. Then he glanced at Orihime. Babe? She knew he didn't like pet names. He shook his head to brush the irritation away. "I asked you not to intervene, Orihime!" Ulquiorra stated.

She blanched. "I'm sorry, I just… I couldn't just let him cut you down!"

"I had it," he said to her, gaze flickering to his hand and then back at her. He started walking past her, ignoring Kurosaki, who looked pissed off. "QUINCY! It's your turn!"

Uryu looked somewhat amused. "Ok, do you want to go like that or do you want to get cleaned up first? I'm fine either way," he said, his eyes darting to Orihime for permission for a split second and back.

Orihime's eyes said, in no uncertain terms, "Leave him alone."

Uryu was never really one to wait for permission, anyway. He jumped into the sky and prepared a bow, grinning down at Ulquiorra. "Last chance, you get five seconds to change your mind before we find out just how fast you are," Ishida crowed. He was excited like a kid at Christmas to put Ulquiorra through his paces.

This time Ulquiorra wasn't so lucky. He tried using that thing again but it wouldn't manifest. He found himself pinned down with Quin aiming for him. It didn't matter where Ulquiorra went with his flash step, Ishida was right there. After another arrow singed the skin of his arm, the green-eyed man said, "I concede. This is getting me nowhere."

Uryu was slightly disappointed but allowed his bow to disappear as he descended to the ground. "Next time I want you completely healed. That was impressive but I could tell you were fatigued," he said good-naturedly. His vision crossed Orihime's for a moment and his good cheer evaporated. She was incensed. He was the reason.

Orihime wanted nothing more than to throw a dome over Ulquiorra and fix him, but after his most recent outburst, she was reticent. She felt impotent. It was frustrating. She turned her back on the scene and walked several paces and then returned to her spot, clenching her teeth and waiting for someone to change the atmosphere.

"Come on, Inoue! This fucking hurts!" Kurosaki whined.

That did it. "I reject!" Orihime shrieked, but instead of a dome manifesting over the shinigami, a small object that looked like a golden paper airplane streaked across the grounds and sliced through the shinigami's robes, cutting him across the chest in the same place as Ulquiorra had been cut.

Ulquiorra was going to nod at Quin but heard Orihime's scream. He turned around and stared at the flare of light that whizzed by him. She was attacking Kurosaki. "Woman!" In an instant, Ulquiorra was by her side. "Stop! What the hell are you doing? I asked you not to get in between this!"

Orihime furrowed her brows at him. "How can you say that to me? How do you expect me to stand here and watch this and not get involved? Are you sidelining me too?" Her eyes shone with tentative hurt as if his potential answer held the power to destroy her.

"Orihime, this was to test our my powers. I would never sideline you. This is between Kurosaki and me though," he answered. Ulquiorra sighed. Why was she doing this? "You gave me your word that you wouldn't do this. I asked you not to get involved. Call it back, and heal me please."

"I said no such thing," she grumbled, calling back Tsubaki. "Get comfortable; this will take a while," she said, muttering, "I reject," in a quiet voice and allowing a dome to form over Ulquiorra's body.

"Bitch!" Kurosaki ground out from across the way. Orihime ignored him. "I'm next," he demanded.

"Whatever," Orihime replied, staring at her hands.

Ulquiorra turned a violent stare towards the injured man. "You don't get anything Kurosaki. Heal… Normally." As soon as he was done, he studied Orihime. "I'm sorry. I've waited years for a rematch against that fucker. I just wanted to do it on my own."

She sighed. She understood. Kind of. She didn't really understand but she understood male pride as a foreign concept. She nodded and let her eyes meet his for a brief moment. "I'm sorry," she said. "I can't watch next time, though."

That sucked but he nodded. He had been a somewhat skewed cheerleader for her in Las Noches, trying to build her up from a logical sort of way. He had expected that much from her. "It's fine," he replied. "Urahara? Are we free to go?"

"Eh, would you be willing to stay one more day? I'd really like to get a reading on your soul. Do a few more tests," Urahara said.

"Woman? Do you want to stay? I know I do not. I want to get back to my apartment."

"Are you sure? You seemed like you wanted to go round two just a minute ago," she hesitated to say. Of course, she wanted to go home and get away from this place that held nothing but bad memories, but she didn't want to take this opportunity away from Ulquiorra either. "I can stay if you want to fight more."

He shook his head. Quin was right, he felt exhausted. Whatever he did with his hand seemed to drain the energy right out of him. "I can always come back and arrange a fight between Ishida and myself at a later date."

"Okay," she said, putting her hands behind her back and stretching by bending backward a bit

"Oh, Inoue-san," the shopkeeper's voice interrupted the quiet conversation the lovers were having.

"Yes, Mr. Urahara?"

"It would be a shame if something were to happen to Kurosaki-san while out on patrol because he wasn't at his best," the shopkeeper allowed the brim of his had to fall lower onto his brow, causing his eyes, and coincidentally, his voice, to darken, "the citizens of Karakura depend on him for their safety, you know. It's still a hotbed of hollow activity here."

Orihime's eyes met Ulquiorra's. They weren't looking for permission. They were looking for a way out of the shopkeeper's 'request'.

"He can call upon the plebeian Squad four," Ulquiorra snapped before he grabbed his girlfriend by the waist and blurred out of sight. When his feet touched the floor upstairs, he set Orihime on down. "Gather whatever you brought. I'm taking us back to my place as soon as you're ready," he said. Aggravation was traveling up his spine. He didn't know what was more annoying. The shopkeeper's blatant manipulation or Kurosaki's derogatory word he had used. It was possible that the orange-haired shinigami meant the term for Ulquiorra. If he meant it for Orihime then that would just make things that much more complicated. He knew if he killed Kurosaki then he'd be in a shitstorm of trouble.

Orihime grabbed her purse. That was all she had brought; it's not like Grimmjow had given her a chance to pack before kidnapping her.

When she returned, Ulquiorra opened his arms to her and left the building using flash step. It took very little time in returning to Koenji and his apartment. He said very little to the woman as he opened the door, allowing her to enter first.

She walked into the space, setting her purse on the counter and collapsed into a chair. "Thanks for the ride home, mister," she said with a half smile as he entered the room.

Ulquiorra looked at the redhead before nodding. "What did you do to me, Orihime? What was that power? How do I use it?"

Ok, he was not in the mood for friendly chit-chat, apparently. "The small shield looks like it is similar to what I can do; I could help you learn to use it. The other thing? The vine thing? I don't know what that is. It may be a part of your own soul that I awakened."

"That "shield" was a joke. I couldn't protect anything with that. It was-" he took a moment to pause before he said something that would absolutely set them back months. "Thank you for healing me today."

"You know I would do it anytime you need it," she said hesitantly. There was something he wasn't saying, she could feel it. "Do you want to talk about anything?"

"You gave me-I can use hollow powers. I can use shinigami powers. What the fuck kind of power do you have? What's the label I slap to myself?" Ulquiorra asked, his scowl becoming more evident.

"You're a spiritually aware and gifted human. There are lots of us. Some of us," she gestured to herself and Ulquiorra, "are more powerful than others," she explained.

He could not stop the scoff that came out of his mouth. "Tch. You call having the useless "gifts" I have powerful? I am weak compared to you. If I were to walk into Hueco Mundo I would probably be eaten by a Menos. That's how weak I feel."

"Uh, how about you don't go waltzing into Hueco Mundo anytime soon? Anyway, a weak person wouldn't have dislocated Kurosaki's shoulder. How did you do that? It was amazing!" she was excited to know how her boyfriend had managed to incapacitate the shinigami.

"I don't know. All I know is I'm angry. I'm pissed off. I'm irate. I was thinking about killing Kurosaki. How I wanted to strangle him. He told me that he wouldn't kill me in cold blood because the chances of fucking you would diminish. As if he has a fucking chance. You're mine," Ulquiorra snapped. He wanted to go back to Karakura town and rip out the other man's throat. "He's the one who called you a whore, yet you're still on friendly terms with him."

"I am not! I attacked him today," she said, attempting to defend herself from Ulquiorra's accusation. "There are sometimes when I am forced to rely on him, like when Grimmjow kills you. That's it. That's as far as it goes. He and I are not friends. And you're right, he has no chance."

Ulquiorra walked over to where she sat in the chair in front of his desk. There was a turmoil of emotions going through him. It was difficult for him to sort out who had triggered what. He wanted to snatch her out of that seat and kiss her to exert his dominance; to show Kurosaki that this redhead was all his and the man would have to kill him before he'd give her up.

There was annoyance at Orihime only because she couldn't tell him what powers she had unearthed or tell him how to utilize them. They seemed pretty fucking pointless. He could tell where the big baddies were. He could move really fast. He could bring up an itty bitty shield that was laughable and perform a one-time choke hold.

Orihime could see the turmoil in his eyes, and his proximity was making her nervous. "What?" she stuttered, looking up into his intense, troubled face.

He wanted to ask if she was afraid of him but he'd probably get the same answer he had time and time again. "I don't like how he looks at you. I don't like how he talks to you. Doesn't he understand I will end his life if he were to touch you?"

"I don't know what he thinks," Orihime said. "And frankly, I don't care," She was feeling kind of offended at the implication that she might let the shinigami touch her.

Green-eyes studied her face for a moment before he took several steps back. He was satisfied with her answer but the anger at her so-called friend was still there. "After fighting and doing that thing, I'm exhausted. I know you probably have things to take care of, but do you mind coming to bed with me?"

She watched him carefully as he spoke. Clearly he was shaken up and emotional. With any luck he'd see things more clearly in the morning. "No, let's go," she said, standing and making her way to the ladder.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: JFC, Again?**

When Ulquiorra woke up, the sun was setting, and Orihime was nowhere around. Things were confusing. In the span of less than a week, he had died, been brought back to life then found out he was once again some spiritually aware being. He was practically useless though. Kurosaki had bested him only for his girlfriend to save him. It was humiliating, to say the least. He felt hurt, like a lion wanting to be left alone to lick at his wounds.

It was irrational to think this was Orihime's fault. She couldn't pick and choose which powers he ended up with; most likely if it were up to her, he'd remain a plain old, boring human. The thought riled him up.

Did she think that he was some kind of "damsel in distress" that needed saving? He wasn't.

Did she want him to be human so that she could feel powerful in their relationship; like she had some kind of hold over him?

Although he couldn't even be on par with Kurosaki or Ishida, Ulquiorra was confident he could still swing a katana around. He didn't need any kind of protection anyway. Grimmjow wasn't a threat anymore. The former Sexta Espada probably figured him to be dead. He rolled over and found his phone, staring at the screen. Text messages from Quin and Kurosaki were waiting to be read.

They could fuck off.

A sigh left him, sounding incredibly heavy. His body felt tense and irritable. Just thinking about the orange-haired male made him irate. Where had this jealousy come from? Never in his life-well, his human life- had he felt the urge to kill someone over a woman. As an Espada, that had been a different story.

He'd overreacted as an Arrancar. He couldn't stand that the redhead had constantly been crying. It seemed like sound logic at the time. Orihime would stop crying so much if her friends were dead.

That same "logic" didn't seem so sound, now.

When Orihime awoke beside Ulquiorra only over an hour after falling asleep, she felt hungry and uneasy. She went to his kitchen and looked around. Finding nothing, she decided to take the stairs and head over to the convenience store.

While she was there, she spent some time flipping through fashion magazines on the rack, trying to kill time and distract herself. Why was she doing this? She had always been anxious to return to Ulquiorra whenever they had been separated. What was different about today?

She looked at a wall of refrigerated meals, but her mind wandered back to Ulquiorra's apartment. What had caused his outburst before? Clearly, he had been upset at what the shinigami had said about trying to fuck her, but that wasn't all of it. It wasn't just jealousy. There was anger directed at her, and she didn't feel she deserved it. She had just brought him back to life! She had given him spiritual gifts! They might not be on par with what he had as an Espada, but neither was she! She stewed as she picked out some food and drinks and brought them to the register, stopping to get some ice cream too.

When she reached his apartment building again, she was tempted just to keep walking. She didn't like this feeling. She loved him. She wanted to be where he was. She didn't want him being mad at her though, and the more she thought about it, the more she was sure that he was, and the madder it made her. She didn't feel that he was justified.

The twelve flights of stairs helped. By the time she reached the ninth floor much of Orihime's mounting irritation had been replaced by fatigue. She couldn't dawdle, though; she had ice cream in the plastic bag she was carrying. She kept pushing up the stairs and only paused when she heard her phone chime. She took it out, expecting it to be Ulquiorra asking where she was or Quin, but it wasn't. It was Pauletto's assistant, telling her to check her email for a message from Pauletto. As she reached Ulquiorra's floor, she had finished reading the email. Her eyes had widened when she scanned it; Pauletto was offering her a modeling contract for a new line he was producing for a major international retailer. He wanted her to travel to locations around Japan and abroad to photograph the new collection. It wouldn't be a long-term gig, just a couple months, but it would mean being away from home and school a lot. Then she read the bottom line; it was a very lucrative opportunity for her. She sighed as she turned off her phone. There was no way she would be able to leave Ulquiorra for as long as Pauletto would need her to be gone. She'd write her regrets to Pauletto later.

She slipped her phone back into her pocket as she opened the door to Ulquiorra's apartment, using her key. "I'm back," she called softly into the quiet room.

He had just opened the bathroom door, fresh from a shower when he heard the apartment door open. It seemed like a natural reflex to align his body into a defensive stance, but when he heard her, he quickly relaxed. Ulquiorra shuffled over to the kitchen doorway and stared at Orihime. He had done more thinking in the shower.

Had she given him more hollow powers on purpose? What was the balance? Why couldn't she tell him anything about what she did or how her powers worked? His face remained passive. "I thought you had left."

"I went to get some food. Are you hungry?" Orihime asked, holding the bag where he could see it. She acted like there was nothing else to it.

He nodded. "I've been staying with you, so there was no reason to keep food here," he stated. Ulquiorra studied her for a moment then frowned. "Woman-" He didn't know what to say to her. He didn't know how to explain to her that he was angry about her defying his wish to die.

She set down the bag. Something was wrong, she could feel it. "Please tell what is bothering you?" she asked, her brows knitting in concern.

So she had noticed. "I'm pissed off. I know you brought me back because you can't live without me, but I made a choice. You rejected my death and gave me useless powers. In that basement, I didn't need your help. If Kurosaki was going to kill me, so be it."

She couldn't believe what he was saying. "Why would you want to die when you could live? Why would I let Kurosaki get his way? Why would I allow my lover to die when I could save him? What you're saying doesn't make any sense to me," she said. She sounded confused and hurt because she was. Her anger was dampened as a result.

"Orihime, has it ever occurred to you that I'm tired of being a human or that I am tired of this existence? I'm tired of Kurosaki and his bullshit. I'm tired of Quin and his bitching. I'm tired of feeling all these emotions and having to sift through them. If I don't understand it, I have to look it up." Ulquiorra scoffed. If he wasn't making sense, it was simply because he didn't understand any of it either. The most prominent emotion in his head was that his pride was hurt. "I can't even protect myself."

"That's where I come in; I can help you," she offered. She didn't understand what it was that caused this outburst. Her assistance had never been an issue in the past. Why was it now?

"You can help me? How? By emasculating me? By allowing me to be humiliated in front of Kurosaki? Poor Ulquiorra can't fucking kill anyone, better save him!" His voice was getting louder. "At first I was happy to be alive again, then I was poked and prodded. I was beaten and bloody… For what? Some one-time party trick?"

"What? How can you say that? You know your worth is not in your ability to kill someone. I love you. You're a successful artist… Who cares about that oranged-haired dick? I'm sorry about all the testing and the fighting, but we don't have to go back there," she said, her voice reedy and a bit desperate. The tone he was using was not one he had ever directed toward her before. It was different even from the time at the hospital. She knew he was ramping up to something even worse. She hoped to talk him down but the look on his face as she spoke only darkened.

"Even as an Espada, I prided myself on not needing anyone. I've had to depend on you and Ishida to keep me alive," he stated. Ulquiorra turned from her, the anger he was feeling becoming more and more discernable on his features. "I absolutely despise Kurosaki. I loathe him, Orihime. Yet, he comes around, and everything is cool although he called you a whore and has repeatedly tried to bed you while with me. Then he says he won't kill me because then you wouldn't fuck him. How is that supposed to make me feel? I don't need your protection."

Orihime's mouth opened and closed. She couldn't believe what he was saying to her. "I understand you hating him. I hate him too…" She didn't know what more she could do to convince her boyfriend that she had no love for the shinigami. She had attacked him earlier that day! Her face started to show her dismay, her eyes flitting between his, searching for any sign of warmth or affection left in them. She couldn't find what she was looking for. "Ulquiorra…" she couldn't finish. She didn't want to know if he had decided he didn't want or need her anymore.

"Why don't you stand up to him more? Why don't you push him away instead of insisting that he's needed when he's not? Even with Ishida, you have a backbone! When I called you a whore, you told me to get out. Kurosaki says it and no repercussions there."

"Because I no longer care enough to engage with him. And yes, he was needed, unfortunately. I was running out of spiritual pressure. He has a lot. If I hadn't tapped into it, I might have died. As far as the "whore" thing goes, of course, I don't care what he thinks of me! I don't care about him or his opinion! I love you, Ulquiorra. Your opinion has the power to destroy me," she whimpered. Her premonition that things were only going to get worse was getting to be overwhelming.

She loved him? He had the power to destroy her? It was preposterous! "I love you too, but you put yourself first instead of looking at the big picture. You're putting all your happiness on me, and I'm not responsible for all of it, maybe a portion of it but not all of it. I chose to go into that thing Urahara has. I made a choice to die, to sacrifice myself again. What we have-Orihime, I'm more obsessed, controlled and captivated by you. I am infatuated with you. I'm fanatical when it concerns you… Is that love? Is having sex with each other love? Is constantly wanting to be around you because you cause a blissful feeling in my head, love?"

"I think so," she answered, her voice wavering. She felt like the walls were closing in on her and she was having a hard time taking a normal breath. "Ulquiorra, what are you trying to say to me?"

"I think we need to step back and reevaluate things. Ever since I came to under your dome, I've felt trapped," Ulquiorra replied. "I've lost myself. I'm no longer C. Murcielago the artist. I'm a model. I'm erasing who I was to fit in more with your life. I'm not a social creature. I'm not cordial. I don't want to kiss people's ass to get anywhere in life. I didn't become the fourth Espada by kissing Aizen's ass. I got there on my own merit and power alone. I didn't become a semi-famous artist by kissing anyone's feet. I got there by talent."

She was silenced, scanning the floor for over a minute, hoping her brain would find something to salvage their relationship. She came up empty. If he didn't want to be with her, there was nothing she could do. She looked up at his face, and it only confirmed what she knew: she had already lost. Still, she couldn't accept it. "Are you… are you breaking up with me?"

That question stopped him for a moment, and he turned just enough so that he could look at her. His shoulders rose and then fell in a shrug. "I am not sure if I want to break things off with you, but I need time to assess this new me. I need-" Ulquiorra paused. Things would have been easier if he had just stayed dead. "I'd like to pause our relationship, if possible. Only temporarily. I need to think about what makes me happy instead of making you happy. Thinking about the future and other things like that, and then losing myself as an artist-It goes against what I had taught myself in the past four years. Right now, you're suffocating me."

She didn't know what he meant. She understood self-reflection, but she didn't know why they had to be separated to do it. Unless… She remembered. Part of his "finding himself" before they were together included lots of sleeping around with nameless women. Is that what he meant? She would suffocate him by tying him down to her? "Are you saying you want to be free to see other people?"

"If that is what you wish, you may do so."

Now the tears came. "I don't!" Orihime turned away from Ulquiorra, not wanting to have an audience to her crumbling. "I don't want any of this," her shoulders began to shake. She took the key to his place out of her pocket and set it on the counter. "I don't want any of this," she repeated in a whisper as she let it go, then straightened up and walked to the genkan, sniffing and clearing her throat. "There is ice cream in that bag, so you should either eat it now or put it in the freezer," she said in as close to a normal voice as she could, then bent over to tie her shoes.

"Orihime," Ulquiorra began. His face remained with the same blank expression as he spoke. "I need to find my place again. I didn't have you around when I woke up as a human, and I found my place in this world. I need to learn how to adapt to this situation. I cannot do that if you're around in a romantic or sexual sense. I would just push everything that defines me to the side. If you're around me in that sense, I can't possibly divide my time between you and what I need to do. However, if possible, I would like to be friends, for now."

She stood and reached for the door, then screwed her expression up into a tortured smile and looked over her shoulder at him. "I understand. You have to do what is best for you. I don't know if I can be friends with you, though. Friends don't love each other the way I love you. I won't be able to stand by and watch you move on from me. I'm sorry." She turned back to the door and opened it and stepped out, closing it softly behind her after whispering goodbye.

* * *

He forgot to put away the stuff in the bag. It sat there for a couple of days while he laid in his bed, thinking about what he had done. Ulquiorra didn't really leave his bedroom except for a drink of water now and then and to relieve himself. Eventually, the rancid smell brought him to the kitchen.

The woman he employed to clean his apartment wasn't due by for a few more days. He didn't want to attract bugs or the attention of the other tenants in the building so, he decided that maybe be needed a change of pace and began to clean up things. It didn't take long before he was back in his bed.

Maybe he needed a bigger change of pace. This apartment had memories of Orihime all over it. This place had memories of them infused into the wood floors and brick walls. She was all over him. She was all he thought about, but he was right, at least he thought so. He was obsessed with her which was very different from being in love with her.

A week passed by and he would find himself sitting in his office chair staring at the three easels that were set up. Each had a replication of Orihime's designs on it. It hurt to see them. They were the only ones done out of the seven paintings he had planned to paint for her.

He wanted to talk to her about the project but knew the moment he texted her she would either ignore it or run. She was like that. Ignore or flee. What happened to her will to fight? He knew the answer to that… well, he could guess, anyway. Her friends had pushed her to the side so many times that she accepted it.

Why couldn't she allow him to die? Wouldn't her life be better without him in it? He caused a lot of strife in her world for the several months they had been together. Being with him would only hurt her status in the end. He would say the wrong thing to the right people, pissing them off. He knew how those people worked.

Kurosaki kept texting him with taunts and jeers about him losing and Orihime having to help him. The man was a dick. Ishida didn't message him once. Yui started blowing up his phone with texts.

Ulquiorra took a deep breath, and turned back to his computer, touching the mouse and then bringing up his calendar. He had an art show in a month. He had several pieces ready, but they were uninspired pieces. He didn't even feel like picking up a brush to work on any other pieces. Unless he wanted to include Orihime's design in this show, he would have to get off his ass and work.

* * *

Orihime had never forgotten what happened to her after their first breakup. The heartache had almost killed her, until eventually, she was numb, and then angry, and then focused. She had never been so productive in her life as she had been during that time.

This time, she decided to skips steps A, B, and C and go directly to focused. More specifically, re-focused. Before she even made it back home, and before she even read all the details of the offer, she had written back her acceptance to Pauletto.

It was only later she found out where she would be traveling around for two whole months to take photos. She was scheduled to go to places around Japan like Sado Island in the north and also abroad. Thailand and Russia were on the list. If her goal was to keep busy, she had fallen into the right project.

While they were busy with Markus and their own collections, Orihime and Uryu had overlooked Pauletto's rise to significance. The man was usually jovial and carefree, at least in his affectations. That he had been quietly working on launching a line of clothing for a major international retailer with a cool factor to match its bottom line came as an impressive surprise to the pair of roommates.

Naturally, Ishida was jealous of the opportunity Orihime was being given. It seemed very unusual that a girl with her body type would be chosen to be one of the faces of Pauletto, but he later learned that although Pauletto was serious about Haute Couture, he also was business savvy, and he was designing this line to appeal to people with varying body types. Orihime was short and curvy, but she also had proportionately long legs and delicate bone structure. As Ulquiorra had said to her before, she was a tiny work of art. She was a perfect addition to the stable of models Pauletto had in his employ for this project.

Despite all this - the mad dash to get her passport and visas in order and to make arrangements for the schoolwork she would miss, setting meetings with Pauletto's people about schedules and expectations and social media obligations she contractually obligated to fulfill - she still found time to think about Ulquiorra. Every time she closed her eyes she saw his. Every time she walked into her bathroom and saw his shampoo in the shower, the one that smelled of cedar and eucalyptus, her heart would twist. She hated this. She hated missing him, knowing that she could walk to his place in Koenji with her eyes closed and see him. He wasn't dead, but with the complete separation he imposed, he may as well have been, and she grieved for the loss of the relationship.

The second Sunday after she had said goodbye to him, she decided she had to clear her space. She was scheduled to leave the following Wednesday. She went to a shop and bought a large cardboard box and a couple of small travel-sized plastic bottles. She returned home and started packing Ulquiorra's belongings as she packed her own bags.

He had left a surprising amount of things at her place. It took her several loads of laundry to find all his used t-shirts and boxer briefs. Of course, she stopped to smell each shirt before she reluctantly threw it into the wash, slowly erasing the evidence that he had ever been part of her life again. She hung the clean clothes to dry as she packed up the items in the bathroom, taking a little bit of his soap and shampoo and keeping it in the small bottles she had bought. She knew there would come a day that she couldn't remember his smell anymore, and the thought broke her heart. She needed something to refresh the memory. The bottles were her answer.

He had left sketch pads and a binder of photographs he had taken in her room. She sat and looked over each one as she waited for his clothes to dry. She took pictures of some of the sketches with her phone. She knew it wasn't helping her to move on. She didn't care.

When the clothes were finally dry and put away along with everything else, she did the thing she was most dreading. Taking out her phone again, she started a text to Ulquiorra:

_Hi, I hope everything is going well with you. I've put together a box of your things that I thought should be returned. It's mostly clothes and stuff, but you also left some sketch pads and photos here that you'll probably need. I'm leaving on Wednesday so if you can't get it before then I can have it delivered, or you can make arrangements with Quin to pick it up. Let me know what works for you, okay? - Orihime._

* * *

When the text came in Ulquiorra was sitting on the floor, moping. His mood was dismal. His inspiration was gone. Maybe Orihime had rejected his artistic ability and his muse.

He shook his head.

He had done that himself when he told her he needed a break. It was stupid. Scrambling for his phone which was on his desk, he stared at her words. She was leaving! Where was she going? Was this permanent? Was she going to come back? Why would she tell him this?

His fingers started tapping out a message before he could even come to terms with this information.

_\- What? Where are you going? Do you have to leave? I mean, c'mon Orihime… this is a break from each other, not a breakup_.

After he sent that one off, he quickly sent another.

_\- I'm okay. Miserable but okay. You?_

He sighed and flopped down into the office chair and waited. She would text him back, right? She had to. Now that he read each of the texts he sounded desperate and somewhat clingy.

She received his reply much faster than she anticipated. It raised the alarm in her head. She read the first, and before she had finished reading it, the second came.

Was this the same man who watched her leave almost two weeks ago?

She was worried.

_Are you drunk_?

She realized it might come across as harsh, so she wrote another message.

_I'm going away for a job. It's a modeling gig for Pauletto. I don't know how I am. Trying to keep busy, I guess. Sorry about asking if you were drunk, you just sound totally different from before. You said a lot of final-sounding things and left it open to see other people. To me, that's a breakup. I'm not cool enough to be casual. Sorry._

His nose scrunched up at the return text. He had thought about getting drunk but knew that would lead down a road that he did not want to visit or contemplate. Addiction was a fickle mistress, and he didn't want to entertain her. The second text came in, and the panic that her initial message caused slowly started dying down.

Oh.

A job.

That was good, but he was under the impression that she had given up modeling to work on her own things. It wasn't his business.

\- _You're the one who suggested seeing other people. It sounded like that's what you wanted. I said it was up to you… I know. We're not friends. I remember._

She read the message and closed her eyes, letting the tears that pricked at the corners of her eyes travel back down her throat instead of down her face. This is exactly what she was afraid of. This whole thing had been Ulquiorra's choice, not hers. He had made this decision unilaterally. How dare he try to blame her… She shook her head and wrote back:

_I never suggested it. I asked if it was what you were going to do. This hurts enough… Whatever. This whole thing was your choice; your decision. I didn't get one. Anyway, do you want to come pick this up or should I send it to you?_

An angry huff left him. He didn't get a choice either so they were even. His mouth twisted to the side, grimacing because Ulquiorra knew she was right. It had been his choice but only because he didn't want to hurt her further with his anger about the situation.

_\- I got enough shit on my plate. I don't need to go out and try to find some bitch to stick my dick into. You gonna be there if I swing by?_

She flinched at his response but replied:

_Apart from random errands, I'll be here until Wednesday morning._

He frowned at her reply. If he wanted to know things, he should ask. Ulquiorra tapped out his next message.

-_ You really want to see me?_

She responded as honestly as she could,

_I am afraid. I know it'll hurt. LOL, I always said I'd never say that, that I'm afraid of you. Anyway, I will deal with it. Stop by._

It figured. She was afraid of him when it didn't count. He wasn't being scary or imposing. He was being his human self. It was too easy to slip back into that charming persona he had developed over the years.

\- _Quin gonna be there? I always liked it when you made it hurt._

She read his message, and at first, she didn't recognize the feeling that was boiling up in her chest. Tears started rolling down her cheeks, and by the time they reached her chin, the feeling rising her chest had reached her throat. It was anger. How fucking dare he!

_\- Sorry. That wasn't appropriate_.

His reply came before she could say anything. No matter.

_No shit that was inappropriate! You don't get to say that to me! Don't come. I'll mail it._

It didn't take but several minutes for him to use that shinigami power to take himself from Koenji to Shibuya. He was in front of her apartment door when his phone chimed. He wondered how long it would take her to register his spiritual pressure and get the text message he was about to send.

\- _Too late._

He lifted his hand and knocked.

She felt his presence before she got the text, and the knock followed immediately thereafter. He was playing dirty. She didn't bother cleaning her face off or trying to calm down. She wanted him to see how his flippant attitude affected her. She stomped to the door and threw it open, snarling, "What!?"

He took in her appearance from the messy hair to her tear stained face and swollen eyes. Fuck. He meant to make things right with her and all he was doing was screwing it up more. "I wasn't thinking," Ulquiorra said. "It's easy to slip into that mentality when texting you."

"Well do me a favor and slip out of it," she said turning to get the box. "I'll get your stuff."

"Can I come in?" Ulquiorra asked. She probably should just slap him because he was being an idiot. He had this idea that when he would come over to get his shit that they would kiss and makeup. It wasn't looking that way. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. There'd be no reconciliation. Maybe if he came on to her and laid the charm on thick that would repair this. Maybe if he got down on his knees and begged she would allow this to be smoothed over.

Maybe pigs would fucking fly too.

"Do what you want," she said, and added under her breath, "you always do anyway."

A scoff left his throat and he shook his head. He walked inside the apartment but didn't leave the genkan. He slammed the door shut. "If I do what I want, we'd already be making out. I wouldn't be fucking aware of the Koenji shinigami running around during the night. I wouldn't have nightmares about Grimmjow. So, don't tell me to do what I want."

"Fine," is all she said by way of reply. She disappeared into her room for a moment and came back out carrying the large, awkward box. It was about the size of a laundry basket and she was having a hard time getting it through the doorway. She managed but almost dropped it, having to brace herself, spreading her feet apart a bit to keep balance as it tottered, then slowly started back toward the entrance. Despite the circumstances, it looked comical.

What did this woman mean by fine? Fine that he was allowed to do as he pleased? Fine, it was okay? He didn't understand her phrases sometimes. He walked over to where she was struggling and took the box from her, then placed it on the nearest surface. Ulquiorra knew she was going to resist but he didn't care. He grabbed her wrists, just in case she tried to hit him or summon her little bird/airplane things.

He was the one who called for their break. Just because he did that didn't mean he didn't love Orihime or desire her. Ulquiorra knew it was fucking stupid, but he kissed her quickly; he didn't want to get bitten, so he kept it short and sweet.

Orihime was stunned for a moment, then her face took on an expression of anguish. "Why, Ulquiorra? Why are you doing this to me?" she choked on her last words as she pulled her wrists back feebly, not really putting in any effort. She felt defeated anyway.

"You told me I didn't give you a choice, but you didn't give me one either. You told me to do what I want," Ulquiorra explained. Why had he expected her to just fawn over him? "I miss you. Just because I told you I needed some space doesn't mean I turned into a monk. You must have known when you asked me to come get my stuff that something would happen. I couldn't keep my hands off you during the first break we had."

"No. No. I did not expect you just to show up unannounced and act like the past week and a half never happened. If you can't recognize the difference between our last break up and this one, we had much bigger problems than I recognized," Orihime argued, shaking her head and backing away. "You can't just use me as a sex toy and discard me when you lose interest. You're not the only one with feelings. It may be broken right now, but I have a heart too, you know!"

"You told me to come get it." Ulquiorra stared down at her. "I'm not acting like it didn't happen and I've never used you for a sex toy. I'm still very much obsessed with you, Orihime. That's the problem. I'm angry and jealous and obsessed. Every time I think of Kurosaki saying he wants to fuck you I see red. That's not healthy. I shouldn't get insanely jealous where all I want to do is hide you away and keep you to myself!"

All she wanted to do was lie down and make this go away. It was too painful. That wasn't an option though. "Ulquiorra, I don't know what to tell you. If you think it's a problem, then I guess it's a problem. Have you been painting? Have you been trying to find yourself?" He still hadn't let go of her wrists, and she was keeping the tension taut, hoping he would get the hint and release her.

He huffed then pulled her closer. "You don't think this is a problem? Orihime, my entire body is a shrine to you. It boasts of my level of fixation with you. Do you want me to start stalking you or becoming that crazy boyfriend? I don't," Ulquiorra stated. He sighed and let go of her since she didn't want to even begin to understand what this was like from his point of view. He scowled at the box, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "You were crying when Kuchiki died, remember? In Hueco Mundo? I didn't want you to cry so I went after your friends, thinking if I eliminated them, you'd stop crying and be happy that you were wearing that uniform; that you could be with me. Flawed logic, I know. I didn't even understand what I was feeling when you were captive. I just knew I didn't want anyone to take you away from me. I still don't want that. You don't understand that I need time. You've told me from the beginning that you were sure I would do what I needed to do and that you'd support me. You said you would accept me for who I am. I changed who I was for you, Woman. I was willing to put my artistic career aside for you. You want me to love you and for us to last or do you want us to crash and burn?"

"I never asked you, nor did I want you, to give up your artistic career. Yeah, I asked you to meet Markus and do that one shoot with me, but that was one day of work. That's it. I never asked you to switch careers. You assume to know what I want but you never actually ask. You assumed killing my friends would be useful? You assumed my career goal was to model? You assumed I wanted to trap you with a baby and milk you for child support… I never wanted any of those things." She sighed. "I accepted you for who you were every step of the way. Maybe not unconditionally, but on the whole, I have. I know you are struggling now. I accept that too. What I don't accept is you waffling between us being separated or together. I am not a strong enough person to do that back and forth thing." She walked to the living room and sat down, grabbing a pillow and hugging it to her chest.

"Fine. You won't see me again," Ulquiorra turned from her and grabbed the box that contained his stuff. "That's all you have to say Orihime. Tell me you don't want to see me again."

She sighed. "I never said that. That's another assumption." She closed her eyes tightly and said, "I love you. I always want to be with you. What I can't do is this on again off again thing. Your impulses are normal, by the way. I'm the same. I want to keep you locked away from the world and have you all to myself sometimes too. I hate that other woman dare to even look at or talk to you, but that is just my insecurities talking. The difference is that I recognize that those are unrealistic and I can't expect those impulses to become reality. I'm getting sidetracked." She put her face into the pillow on her lap and thought for a moment, then looked up again. "I can only handle being separated from you if… who am I kidding? I'm not handling it. I'm just trying to stay busy enough to be able to ignore the loneliness I feel without you. When you show up here and kiss me and let me see you, I can't ignore it anymore. You want to take a break. I understand. But it's not easy for me, I hope you understand that."

He had asked her if she wanted to see him. She said she would deal with it and to come by. That wasn't an assumption. He asked; she answered. Her confusion was making him question things though. Did they really need to have this break? Was a week enough? "They're not unrealistic to me," he said with his back still to her. "You said you're leaving for a job? Where? How long are you going to be gone? Is it permanent?"

This she could do. She could talk about work without falling apart, mostly, anyway. "Yeah, I leave Wednesday for Sado Island, then after a week, I go to Sendai for a few days and then to Thailand for a couple of weeks. Then I'm coming back here again for a couple of days, and then I'm off again to Russia for a week and then back here for a while, then to Mongolia and then to Nikko, and then I think we're coming back. So it's over in about two months including the time I have downtime here."

It felt like she had slapped him. Two months? What the hell was he-How was he supposed to function if she wasn't just a short distance away? Who knew what kind of charming men she would run into only to fall in love with?! "Do you have to go? If I tell you that this break is over, would you stay?" It was a dirty tactic, but he didn't want her to leave although he had no weight in the matter. Ulquiorra had dropped her like a rock again.

"I signed a contract. Besides, you say this break is important. This will help. The distance will keep it a break." She paused to remember, "I was going to refuse, you know. I got the offer on my way back to your place last time. I had started writing my refusal. After you broke things off, I knew it was accept this job or, I dunno, throw myself into my work again or off the roof of your building."

He wanted to whine and throw a tantrum, but he knew she was right once again. Ulquiorra swallowed and shifted the box in his arms. He turned and looked at Orihime. Giving a small chuckle, he said, "Yeah, I know all about contracts. So, two months… you'll come back… to me?"

His question gave her pause. "What do you mean? I'll be back here for sure unless I die or something, but do you intend to wait for me for two months?"

He wanted to nod, but he hesitated. Ulquiorra knew that what she wanted his loyalty. However, he was a man who hadn't gone long without sex. Could he go back to the whole self-love thing he'd had done with the first break up? "You have to be friends with me," he said. If she couldn't do that, then there was no point in waiting.

She saw the waffling look on his face, despite his answer. "Let me rephrase my question. What is your ultimate intention for our relationship?"

"You want the truth?"

"Yes."

"My ultimate intention is to get you back into my bed, my life, and my heart. Not in that order but you know the drill."

"Yes, I do know the drill. We've been down this road before, Ulquiorra. Twice now. And look where it has led us each time. I don't know."

He sighed. What was he supposed to say to that? "Okay, a new plan, since the old one didn't work and doesn't seem to work for us," Ulquiorra proposed, setting the box down again. "Let me be your booty call — friends with benefits. Call me anytime, and I'll be here. Maybe we have to be friends for a longer stretch of time."

Orihime was horrified by his lack of awareness. "That is probably the worst idea I've ever heard," she said, completely flabbergasted. "Do you…" she breathed deeply. "Do you know anything about me? About my heart? Has this been straight up sex for you this whole time?"

"What?" Ulquiorra furrowed his brow. What was she talking about? How could she ask him that? "This has not been straight up sex. If that were the case, then you wouldn't have let me fuck you the first time. I mean what I say Orihime. I love you. It's just-You're like an addiction I need to feed. You're a drug to me."

Orihime wasn't sure what to say or do. She didn't have enough experience with life or love to be able to make informed decisions about this. "I don't know how to help you. But it seems to me if I am a drug to you… Then you should avoid me altogether. I don't know. It just doesn't seem healthy," she said, looking crushed by this revelation.

"This is why we need a break, but sure, I got the answer I needed," Ulquiorra said and walked towards the door.

"Wait!" she yelped, leaping to her feet. "I don't know what the answers are. I love you. I don't want to see you struggle. I don't want either of us to hurt as we have been. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I think you should see other people, to see whether what you feel for me is real or just an addiction. And not just for sex either," she could barely continue, her stomach twisting and heartbreaking; it was killing her to do what she was doing; what she thought was for the best, at least for him. "I think you need to experience love for someone else…" she was a sputtering mess.

Ulquiorra turned to look at Orihime. He observed her for a moment. "Nah, I'm good. See ya," he said before grabbing his shit and exiting the apartment.

* * *

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	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28: Misery Loves Company**

He stared up at the ceiling, green-eyes zoned out on the white surface with a blank expression. She had left, he had felt her spiritual pressure zooming somewhere northward. He knew she wasn't in Tokyo anymore. He told himself that it didn't bother him.

Ulquiorra lied to himself.

He did it so much since he had been resurrected. He had contradicted himself. He had gone against everything he had been taught or learned or believed in since meeting Orihime again. Why? For some pussy? To get laid?

Was he that much of a piece of shit?

Had he told Orihime all that purple prose to have sex with her?

So he had to think. Did he actually love Orihime? Was he in love with her or was it just obsession?

He had to google what it meant to be in love with someone.

That was humiliating.

The website he clicked on said there were eight markers for loving someone. He clicked on it.

_Loving someone is a choice, being in love isn't._

What the fuck did that mean?

The paragraph under that headline told him what it meant. If you weren't in love, you could leave and forget about the person.

He had chosen to walk away from Orihime, but he hadn't forgotten about her. She walked across his mind infinite times a day. He didn't mean to develop feelings for her, and he certainly did not permit himself to do so.

He had only walked away because of what she did. All Ulquiorra wanted to do was live out the rest of his years with her as a normal human. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to see her do well in life. He wanted to see her become successful and break away from the shadows of her friends.

_Loving someone means wanting them to do well, being in love means putting them first._

Okay, well, he had the first part of that down but had he put her first? Maybe... In an obscure way, he put her first by becoming a model so that they could spend more time together, but those hopes were quickly dashed because the same day he'd signed that contract for Markus was the beginning of the end of their relationship.

He was a selfish shithead. Take, take, take and never give. That's what he had done. The words of his friend, The Novelist, came back to him.

"Murcielago, there's more to a relationship than sex. You've got to give her more than orgasms, my friend," the man had intoned. "You can't expect it to work if you can't give anything back."

The next point brought a sour twist to his stomach.

_Loving someone is fleeting, being in love is forever._

He'd gotten annoyed with Orihime over the whole resurrecting him thing. He had become mad at her for it because he was suddenly something interesting to Urahara. Suddenly the Quincy wanted to be friends. Suddenly it had looked like Kurosaki was going to win again. It had hurt his pride because he had gone to Urahara for help before when he woke up. It burned him because he had been friendly and cordial to Ishida before his death. It made him livid because he had already defeated Kurosaki twice and all that man could do was gloat about one fucking victory which had resulted in Ulquiorra's death.

Just because he gotten annoyed with her didn't mean he didn't love her. What had scared him into the whole taking a break was the fact that this insane jealousy came out and he remembered feeling like that in Hueco Mundo. It resulted in his fight with Grimmjow and being trapped inside of a Caja Negacion. He felt it when Kurosaki showed up in the fifth tower. He felt it when the woman had fallen beside the orange-haired man's lifeless body.

It scared him to want to focus that much on one person.

_Loving someone means needing them around, being in love means needing them to be happy where they are._

This right here pointed to the fact that he wasn't in love with Orihime because he wanted and craved her attention and got hurt when she went out with her other friends. He didn't want to leave her alone. He constantly wanted to be near her. Orihime was her own person though. She had hobbies and other interests. He knew that she didn't like modeling. She wanted to design clothes.

Sometimes he wasn't the center of her universe, and it bothered him.

_Being in love is a steady stream of emotions while loving someone is a rush._

He had ridden that wave of endorphins to one of the greatest highs he had felt in his short life. It had also taken him to an extreme low. It was a burst of emotions, mainly happiness in the short term instead of maintaining that feeling in the long run. He was trying to tell this to her the other day. If he wasn't in love with her, then this entire thing would crash and burn only for them to be devastated by each other.

_Loving someone is all about how they make you feel while being in love is about how you make them feel._

This part just called him out in all sorts of ways.

Orihime made him feel good. Her body brought so much pleasure to him. She was a feel-good thing for him. Looking at her brought a pleasant euphoria over his restless mind. He thought he made her feel good. Once again, there was more to relationships than orgasms.

Had he ever made her feel loved that didn't involve an orgasm? Did he ever make her feel appreciated when she wasn't on top of him? Had he ever made her feel special? Ulquiorra had no fucking clue. He figured he'd done all that with the paintings he had done of her; of all the tattoos on his body.

She made him feel loved all the time. She made him feel like he was the only man in the world. She made him feel like she was grateful and thankful for everything he did, even if it was just an orgasm. He remembered back to the night he had taken her virginity. Orihime had told him 'thank you' with a sweet smile. Ulquiorra had brushed off a lot of her gestures because he had been embarrassed.

_Being in love is a partnership; not ownership._

Orihime wanted to constantly label things. Tree. Cloud. Dog. Friend. Lover. Enemy. Boyfriend. He thought back to that time inside that room at the hospital when that doctor had called him her husband. She had even played along with the charade.

The redhead was constantly labeling him. Espada. Boyfriend. Arrancar. Human. Hollow. Fuckboy. Batman.

He didn't affix any words to their relationship. She was his woman. Orihime was his queen and his princess. He was her sword, vowing to save her if she ever needed it. That's what he had done in Los Noches. He knocked away Kurosaki's Getsuga Tenshou to stop it from harming Orihime. He just knew that he wanted to spend his life with her. She had protected him though from Grimmjow and Kurosaki, so they had a somewhat partnership but still… it seemed to him that she was focused on ownership rather than working as a team.

But then again, Ulquiorra didn't give nearly enough of himself to Orihime to call their relationship a partnership either.

When he came to the last point, he shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose because he didn't want to see how right this stupid website that came up from an information search was; he didn't want it to be correct in its assessment.

_If you're in love there's no effort; loving someone is a constant struggle._

Ulquiorra had heard everything.

_If it's easy, it's not worth it._

_If it's worth it, it'll be hard._

_It shouldn't be this difficult._

They hadn't really fought except for that blowout at the hospital, but they were treading water to stay together. Ulquiorra constantly waffled and flip-flopped on his stance about her and their relationship.

He and Orihime had a connection that stretched across lifetimes and years. Sometimes through their history together was a thread that was thick and strong in some places and then filament-thin and weak in others.

Ulquiorra thought he loved her and his emotions concerning Orihime didn't feel forced. He didn't waste effort on affection for her. It never felt like he had to work at feeling something for her. Most of it was positive, and occasionally he got annoyed with her over silly things. The one time he had gotten mad at her was the entire fight with Kurosaki where she helped him, and that was because she had brought him back to life!

No. He hadn't been mad at Orihime. He'd been angry at Kurosaki, and he just pushed those negative emotions off on her because she was the one to show concern. She had been the closest one around at the time.

Fuck.

FUCK.

Tears came to his eyes as he thought about her. He let them slip out of the corner of his eyes, unchecked. He blinked slowly, more tears rolling down the sides of his face.

He had warned her that he was a fuck up. Ulquiorra had warned her that at times, his head wasn't exactly screwed on right. His jealousy had clouded his logical state, and he just blamed the first person to come along and in the process, detonated their relationship. At this point, he couldn't even apologize to her because she went to some other place for work.

She had mentioned them spending the future together. She mentioned something about Ulquiorra wanting to procreate with someone else instead of being sterilized. She mentioned about not being able to stand him falling in love with someone else if they remained friends for a long time. She assumed a lot about him with that shit.

Ulquiorra lay there for a couple more hours, staring at the ceiling, thinking about her. He knew what he wanted. He knew what he wanted to do. No one could stop him. No one could tell him it was a bad idea. No one could tell him that they hated it.

He made two appointments, one with a tattoo artist; the other with the place that had cut his hair the first time.

It was time to make some changes to himself.

Start over.

Several days later, Ulquiorra had a new tattoo which he stared at whenever he could. He had Orihime's name tattooed on him in hiragana. It was on his arm underneath the origami boat and the hilt of Murcielago. His tattoo artist said nothing as he did it, but the man raised an eyebrow as Ulquiorra paid.

A couple more days passed by and he found himself walking into that salon. The woman who had cut his hair the first time led him to the same chair and started chatting away.

"What do you want today?"

"Shave it all off."

"You sure?"

Ulquiorra nodded. He didn't want to be attractive anymore. Orihime liked his hair. It had to go. "Absolutely," he stated.

The woman frowned, "To be honest, I don't think that you should do that but, can I suggest a style if you're tired of this shaggy cut?"

Eventually, he left the salon with the stylist's number and a messy textured top with an undercut fade. The woman said he looked even hotter. Ulquiorra gave the woman a side-eyed glance and a smirk. She practically swooned right there.

He didn't throw away the number this time. He didn't contact the stylist either.

The night he got his haircut, he contemplated showing Orihime his new tattoo and haircut. Instead, he sent her a text.

_\- Got another tattoo. Also got my hair chopped off. You doing okay?_

Throwing his phone onto his desk, he went stand in front of the canvas he was working on.

* * *

The Sado Island shoot had gone well. The autumn colors were starting to turn their ginkgo golden yellow and momiji scarlet. The olive greens and rich navy colors of Pauletto's fall collection clothing was a beautiful contrast. Orihime was frequently used in photos for the fall line, due in large part to the color of her hair complimenting the scenery and color scheme so well. It was a lot of long days with early morning make-up calls and late night shoot wrap parties. She tried to avoid the parties. She needed sleep.

But even when it was quiet, she didn't sleep well. She had been such an idiot. What woman in her right mind would go ahead and tell the love of her life, "Oh yeah, go out and fuck other women. Oh, and while you're at it, _please go ahead and fall in love with them. _"

She didn't deserve her own pity. She had brought this on herself. He had been willing to get back together, and she said no. But did he mean it, or was he just trying to keep her accessible?

Probably the latter, she realized sadly.

Still, what did she stand to gain from holding out on him? He wasn't likely to change his ways any more than he already had for her. And to be fair, he _had _changed. He had changed a lot since the time she met him at the first art show of his that she attended. Some things hadn't changed, and some things had. She was grateful for most of the accommodations he had made for her. He had been undoubtedly loyal. She never suspected that he was cheating on her during the times they had been together. His eye never wandered far from her when they were out, and they were honestly rarely out.

The thing that gave her the most doubt was the thing she had been trying to convince herself and him didn't matter: his jealousy. Orihime acknowledged that she, herself, was a naturally jealous and possessive person. She didn't always take it in stride when other women checked him out or flirted with her now, presumably, ex-boyfriend. However, she never made it his problem, and that was where the difference in the way they handled jealousy lied. She felt jealousy and thought about it and set it aside. She knew he was loyal. He, on the other hand, also knew she was loyal, but he allowed it to burn him up anyway. It caused him to doubt her even though she gave him no indication to do so.

She sighed.

On the last night of the shoot on Sado Island, she went to the wrap party. It was nice. The local people working tech on set were congenial and hospitable, and the booze flowed. Orihime had gotten deep into a conversation with another model about relationships and their flaws. Even in her drunken stupor, Orihime was able to recognize that compared to this other woman, at least, she had been lucky in love with Ulquiorra. He took care of her. Sexually, often emotionally, and always as a companion. He did not neglect her like the boyfriends of many of the women at the shoot. She went to bed that night with her head spinning and her stomach churning; not just from the urge to vomit.

She had definitely made a terrible mistake.

The next day she flew into Sendai and made her home at a business hotel near the airport. There was nothing to do, and she was stranded there for a couple of days until her flight to Thailand was set to take off. She didn't want to waste money to go into the city, but after the first twenty-four hours she broke down and took a bus into the city center.

Her first stop was a huge bookstore. She wandered around, browsing the fashion, art, and culture books. She made her way to the periodicals. She shouldn't have been surprised to see his art staring back at her from the cover of a contemporary art magazine. She picked it up and started to flip through it, then closed it, deciding to buy it and bring it back to the hotel with her.

She did a little more shopping and then returned to her hotel. When she arrived some of the women from the Sado Island shoot who were also going on to Thailand invited her to dinner, and by the time she went back to the hotel, she was too tired and didn't open the magazine.

The next day she woke up feeling like she had forgotten something. She rolled over and saw the bag from the bookstore and sat up quickly, grasping at it and pulling out the magazine. The cover showed one of the paintings Ulquiorra had done of their hands reaching for one another against a dark background. She would have recognized it anywhere. In the table of contents, it pointed her to a brief article about C. Murcielago and his upcoming art show. She would be in Thailand for it. It made her sad.

She closed the magazine and sighed. She had to agree with some of the things Ulquiorra said the last time they stood in the same room. He had let himself get too wrapped up in her world. He had allowed his art fall by the wayside. She didn't like it. He_ had _been losing himself. She had fallen in love with him for who he had been, and although flawed, she had found him admirable in many ways, especially creatively. His creativity seemed to have all but left him recently. Maybe she was the one to blame. Maybe it was him. She didn't know, but he was right to have been concerned about it.

She was concerned about herself.

Here she was, 23 years old, by all standards attractive, and she had only had one real relationship. With a guy who had dumped her. Twice. The only other guy she had ever considered as a potential romantic partner never took her seriously and cast her aside like garbage, only to turn into the world's largest douche canoe. The only thing the two men had in common was a strong interest in her and a possessive streak. Even Uryu was possessive of her. Perhaps it was that possessiveness that kept her from meeting anybody else. Maybe she used it to keep other people away.

Should she open herself up to someone else?

She knew she didn't want to. She was still deeply in love with Ulquiorra, whether he was or not. She wouldn't be able just to walk away from that, even if there was nothing to walk back to. Since leaving Tokyo, though, she had already begun to notice a difference. Without one of the significant men in her life around, she was being flirted with a lot more. It felt nice. It felt normal.

It also felt sad.

The next couple days in Sendai went by quickly, and soon she was landing in Bangkok. She was tired when she got off the flight and was even more wiped out after going through immigration and customs. She turned her phone back on once she was out of the airport. There was a message from Ulquiorra.

She had not been expecting that.

He changed his look. Orihime smirked. She thought only girls did that after a breakup.

He also asked if she was okay. Why? They weren't friends. She had made that clear. She didn't want to be friends with him. Not now, and maybe not ever. It would be much too painful for her. Maybe it was selfish, but she had to look out for her own well-being. The only other person in her life that did that on a part-time basis was Quin. Quin was not always going to be around to do that as he had been for the past few years. She didn't want that anyway. Not for him and not for herself. She had seen enough _Will & Grace _to know that in the end the straight girl/gay guy dynamic breeds resentment when they lean on each other too much. She wanted to be friends with Quin forever. She didn't want to be his anchor, nor did she want him being hers.

She sighed exasperatedly and decided it wasn't going to hurt anything to let Ulquiorra know how things were going. Maybe one day they would end up being friends, after all. She shouldn't burn bridges.

_I just landed in Thailand and am waiting for a bus at the airport. The shoot is going well so far. Sado Island is amazing in the fall. You should go if you ever have an opportunity. I am tired. It's lonely. I wonder what your new look is like. - Orihime PS: Saw your write-up in "JPArt Scene". Nice! Good luck with your show._

* * *

Laying in bed, feeling fucked up and hung over, Ulquiorra stared at his phone. He sent the text to Orihime over thirty-six hours ago, and he just received her reply.

Fuck. He was so fucking fucked.

He saw that she had read it. The artist had waited and waited for a reply. She had to reply to him. She always replied to him. He was expecting an immediate text or a phone call and had been severely disappointed when nothing arrived.

Paranoia crept up his spine. His brain was telling him that Orihime wasn't on location at some photoshoot… She was fucking Kurosaki. Ulquiorra had texted the shinigami who had sent back a nasty photo of him and some woman that looked like Yui cuddling. Asshole. Did he want to rub it in that he was single?

No matter. After twenty-four hours, Ulquiorra was done waiting. He took a shower. He primped and preened and pampered himself. He got dressed to the nines and even accessorized. Quin would have been proud of him.

He stepped foot inside Aquamarine last night. The music was pumping; bodies were everywhere. It was just like any other night in this cesspool of desperation. Ulquiorra ordered a drink and stood at the bar, tossing back the contents and watching the other patrons. He gestured for another one when someone caught his eye.

Short… Check.

Reddish hair? It could have been colored, but all he knew is that the nameless woman's hair wasn't black.

The woman was bigger than Orihime, and that was okay with him. He didn't like fucking sticks. Having his hip bones scrape against someone else's wasn't fun and didn't feel good in the slightest.

She had a horse-type face though. Her smile and nose were a bit too wide. Her eyes were small. The one thing that really turned Ulquiorra off was her eyebrows. They were black. So this one did color her hair. It figured. She wasn't really all that attractive, at least to him. He wasn't looking to fall in love with anyone. He just wanted a body to dance with.

So they danced. They chatted. A camera flash went off as they exited the club and got into a cab. He didn't realize that he was still news. He had taken the woman to a love hotel and paid for an hour. Ulquiorra looked at the woman as she undressed and then looked down at himself.

He had been ready to go; to do this but as soon as he lifted his arm and saw that cartoon version of Orihime's face staring at him disapprovingly, his dick went limp. The woman who was drunker than him didn't mind; she had passed out while he was in the bathroom trying to talk himself into another erection. It didn't work. Every time he glanced at his body, his cock betrayed him.

Ulquiorra left the nameless woman at the love hotel. He went home using flash step to navigate the twelve flights of stairs. He fell into bed after stripping his clothes off.

The morning dawned too bright, too early, and too fucking loud when his phone chimed. He blindly reached out for it, knocking over the books that were sitting on his bedside table. They clattered to the floor with loud thunks which just made his hangover worse.

Which brought him to the present; her text message and why he was so screwed up.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, hoping that would help the noise in his head die down. Spoiler, it didn't. He threw the phone onto the empty space beside him and sighed. Then he ran for the bathroom. After heaving the contents of his stomach into the toilet, taking a shower, and doing general morning maintenance on himself, Ulquiorra found himself in his kitchen with his phone and a cup of coffee.

How the fuck was he supposed to answer this? He had to try.

_\- Maybe you can give me a tour one of these days. I just got your text today. You waiting to answer? Modeling is tiresome, get some extra sleep._

He didn't think as he sent it, wanting to kick himself for trying to fucking charm her. She probably would just brush it off as him being a fuckboy. The next text said:

_\- I'm sorry you're lonely, or it's lonely. Not sure what you mean. Tho it's not like the company is great here either. Thanks for the compliment. The show is probably gonna suck. Do you want a pic of my new look?_

He had less than two weeks to get ready for his show, and he had almost nothing to show. At this point, he was ready to fling paint at the canvas and call it art. His phone dinged, and he rushed to pick it up.

It was Hirano bitching at him for something. It wasn't his fault the internet was going crazy over something. He replied to her, and she started blowing up his phone. She called.

"What the fuck C?"

"What?"

"She looks like a fucking horse. How much did you pay? Did you use protection?"

"What the fuck Hirano? What are you talking about?"

"WHOEVER YOU LEFT AQUAMARINE WITH LAST NIGHT, YOU DICKHOLE!" his PR agent screamed. "SHE BETTER NOT BE A HOOKER AND YOU BETTER GET TESTED FOR AN STI!"

Ow. His head still hurt. He hung up the call with Hirano still bitching at him, but it couldn't be helped.

Ulquiorra looked at the stack of blank canvases and then decided to try his idea. The worst they could do was suck.

* * *

Orihime woke up to another beautiful Phuket morning. The sun was shining, the water was a beautiful shade of azure, and the air smelled sweet. Too bad she had to work.

Part of her job, per her contract, was maintaining a social media presence. She had started a photo-sharing page and was quickly gathering followers. Apart from the creepy messages that she was ensured were "just a normal part of it, you know there are trolls under every bridge," it was the most fun part of her job. She would snap selfies of herself getting ready for shoots and just hanging out at the beach with a book and a Mai Tai. It was good fun and a good way to get her mind off of things.

That morning, as she posted a goofy gif of herself blowing up her cheeks like a puffer fish, she checked her messages.

There were more than usual.

The first was from Ichigo. She ignored it.

The second was from Uryu. It read:

_Hey Boo, you okay? I'm worried about you._

The third and fourth were from Ulquiorra. She read them and smiled. He seemed like he was doing alright, although he had reverted to his smarmy pickup lines again, she thought with a smirk. She decided to reply to him first.

_Hi, it's weird you didn't get my message right away, I sent it three days ago. Oh well. You got it in the end. Any progress on your art? Phuket is wonderful. I'm getting a lot of sun and rest. It's hard to care about things like being lonely when you are surrounded by the sea and white sand and warm temps. It's heaven. Yeah, send me a pic of your hair at least, I'm curious. I'll leave the tattoo to your discretion. TTYL._

She smiled as she sent it. Then she replied to Uryu.

_I'm fine, what are you worried about?_

His reply was immediate.

_Didn't Kurosaki text you?_

She replied:

_Yeah, but he does all the time. I don't need another dick pic. I usually just ignore them and eventually delete them._

Again his response was immediate.

_I don't think you should ignore this one._

She tsked and opened the message from Ichigo. Her attitude faded when she saw the contents of the message. There was a series of pictures of Ulquiorra and a short, red-haired, unremarkable woman leaving Aquamarine together. His hand was on the small of her back as they got into a cab in the next pic. In the last, they were entering a love hotel together.

She took another selfie, this time staring hard into the lens of her phone's camera. She captioned it, "A picture is worth 1000 words". She posted it to her instagram.

* * *

He was so fucked. Again… So fucking fucking fucked. Hirano didn't call him. She came to his apartment. She was screaming at him.

"THERE ARE PICTURES!"

"I can see that!"

"Do you understand the severity of this? People are tagging you and Inoue on different social media sites," the imposing Japanese woman said. She may have been an inch shorter than him but she gave off a vibe that she would cut Ulquiorra and then throw his body out of the window without any qualms.

"What? Why should I care? I don't have-"

"Yes, you do. As a model, you should have had one. I set one up for you. It features some photos from your shoots, yes, the ones from Markus are on there and your artwork."

Ulquiorra looked shocked as the woman pulled the website up on his computer. He stared dumbfounded at the images he was faced with. He had notifications out the ass and his follower number had five digits. This was ridiculous.

"Take this down. I didn't give you permission-" He stopped and just stared as another alert crossed the screen. "Can't you take the vulture pics down? Can't you threaten to sue?"

"C, you have dug your own hole on this. You could have gone for someone who did not look like your ex and it would have been fine," Hirano scolded.

"I have a fucking type, okay?"

The woman grumbled and left, leaving Ulquiorra sitting there overwhelmed. Various comments popped up and he did a casual search for Orihime and the same photosite he was on. Her username popped up and he clicked on it. He wasn't being stalkery. He was investigating. Ulquiorra clicked follow and then looked at all the pictures she had posted. Then he looked at the newest photo.

Orihime knew. She had to know by now. It was all over the fucking place.

_\- I can explain. I swear I have an explanation for this and you'll laugh about it. Maybe. It's embarrassing. Please, just let me explain before you jump to conclusions._

He sent the text and sat there biting his nail. It was some twenty minutes later that he received a text. It was from Orihime. He got excited then he read it and became confused.

_\- Um, art is hard, and it sucks. Self-care is good… Orihime… _

He debated on taking a picture. Ulquiorra had enough pictures for the week. He didn't think he needed to take more, but he had to. He texted Hirano who was only on the sixth floor and told her to come back up and teach him how to use this damn website or app. Whatever it was.

He got a crash course in selfies. He got a crash course on social media sites. He got his ass reamed about trying to pick up women who looked like bigger versions of his ex-girlfriend. Once the public relations bitch was gone, Ulquiorra started snapping pictures of himself.

Picking the four best ones, he uploaded them and hoped for the best.

* * *

Orihime had received Ulquiorra's messages. She was fucking done. She was busy. She was working. She didn't have time for this bullshit. She knew exactly what she was going to say when she was wrapped for the day, though. She was so sure that she didn't even worry about it while she was doing the shoot.

Come nightfall; she went to a party. She rarely did, but she wanted to have some liquid courage before she replied. The photographer from the day's shoot was at the party and was being overly flirtatious. She didn't care. She even let him put his hand on her thigh. Not for long, but she allowed it for a moment. She wasn't flattered. She just didn't care.

When she finally went up to her room, _alone _, she took out her phone.

_Looks like you have been engaging in self-care as well. Good for you. I'm sorry you're struggling with your art. You don't owe me any explanations, but I'm sure I won't be laughing about any of them._

She passed out after she sent the text, grateful for the slight fog in her brain and the fact that she wasn't scheduled to work until after 10:00 the next day.

* * *

He read her text. He wanted to go out and find some skinny, typical looking Japanese bitch and fuck her. He didn't. Instead, he sat flicking through her pics like some obsessed asshole, which was exactly what he was. Ulquiorra didn't know why he was like this. He didn't know why he was so affected by this. He wanted to sit and cry because how much everything hurt.

He wanted to talk to her; to explain in his own words without letting the words be misconstrued. So he called. The phone rang and rang. It went to voicemail. He never left a message.

Ulquiorra wasn't sleeping, so he decided to wait for up for her. He called her once an hour, every hour. He told himself that when she finally picked up, he'd explain to her and then let her decide the fate of their relationship.

After the sixth phone call, he couldn't stand it.

-_ It's not what you think, Woman. I was going to but I couldn't… Physically, my own body cock blocked me. I went to the bathroom trying to get it back up, and the woman passed out. See? It's fucking ridiculous. Please, I want to talk to you. I need to talk to you. Just five minutes of your time._

He saw hours later that the message hadn't been read. Even the next day when he got up it still had not been read.

Nodding several times, Ulquiorra knew he should have expected this. She had decided it was over between them.

* * *

Orihime was finally done for the day. She had been told to take a break and go talk to an interviewer, and it went much longer than she had expected, and she had ended up drinking almost an entire bottle of wine on her own during the course of the interview. When it was over, so was the shoot, and she stumbled back into her room. She read the message from Ulquiorra asking her to talk. She had been talking all day, mostly about him. What difference would it make now?

"RING TO THE MOTHERFUCKING RING," she droned in an obnoxious drunken voice as the phone rang.

He drifted off to sleep, with his phone in his hand. He squinted at the screen before he pressed the speaker icon. Ulquiorra didn't say anything though until a few seconds passed by. "Yeah?"

"You know, you don't get a cookie for having whiskey dick. And like I said," she paused as the room swayed a bit, "you don't owe me an explanation. Whyyougotta essplain?"

"Are you drunk?" Ulquiorra asked, sitting up on the bed. "It wasn't the fucking alcohol. I can't look at my own body without seeing something about you. And I've gotta explain because I fucking love you, you idiot."

"I have been called a lot of things in my day," she paused and took a deep breath, "and idiot is among them. Yet you are the one who takes questionable women to love hotels and lets yourself get followed by Cinnamon McDickface, lets yourself get pictures taken outside da'club and some dirtball love hotel, and then lets those pictures go all over social media. I'd say you're the idiot, idiot."

Ulquiorra shook his head. "No, I'm worse than an idiot. I'm a fucking moron and I know it. I'm not trying to play the martyr or whatever. I'm the asshole. I'm the moron. I'm the one who has your name tattooed on me and you're done with me now."

"What the fuck did you do that for? You dumped me, remember? That's not the right order of events," the volume of her voice trailed off as her eyes closed, then she rallied. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, I did some innerview t'day. I think it's gonna be okay but the lady kept plying me with wine and asking me about you. I'm sorry if I fuck things up for you with it but I think it's oh-kay. I was tryna be a good girl n'I was just telling the lady… what wasser name? Emi-chan. Yeah, I was just telling Emi-chan the truth so it's okay. Oh! Oh yeah and don't worry about that dude TitusFrankfurter or whatever on insta he is a cocksucker. He's probably gonna bother you now too. Anyway, it was nice talking to you Orihime." She was rambling and nearly incoherent.

"No, Orihime. Did you see my pictures on there?" Ulquiorra asked before she could hang up. "And what did you say about me? Is Hirano going to kill me?"

"No I didn't see'em yet I was working all day and then this interview," she paused to yawn. "I think it was pretty nice she asked how we met and all kindsa stuff like that, and I just told 'er the truth and when she asked 'bout the skank pics… I am pretty sure I just told 'er we had broken up so it was what it was, or some kinda bullshit."

"You told me to go out and do that, remember?"

"Yep. Hold on I'm gonna put you on speaker okay? I need to lay down."

Ulquiorra waited. He heard shuffling around and then there was silence. "Hime? Are you still there? You told me to go do that and my own body said no. I did some deep thinking the other day-well I've been doing it since I called it off with you and I've come to realize something."

"Oh yeah?" she mumbled.

"I love you. I want you back. I'm not saying this just to say it or get in your pants. I do. I took in all the information I could about us and our relationship. I'm sorry. I should have given you more of myself and cared about how i made you feel instead of just taking what I could get from you," Ulquiorra said quietly.

"Mmmhmm, okay. Well did you decide that before or after you and Horseface of the No Tits Tribe went to the love hotel?"

Ulquiorra scoffed. "I did that and made the rash decision to take you up on your offer because you didn't text me back. All I wanted was some acknowledgement. You read the damn message and I didn't get it for two damn days. What am I supposed to think being left on read?"

"I don't know what you are supposed to think, dude. I don't know what I think. But it doesn't feel very nice to know you're only worth two days of waiting. Still, like I said-"

"You're going to forget the fucking six years I did, waiting for you? I got pissed off," he stated. "Maybe we should talk about this when you're sober."

"You're right, we should, but let me leave you with this food for thought: If we got back together, and you get pissed off, what are you gonna do then?"

Ulquiorra answered her in the simplest of ways. "I'm going to talk to you instead of making assumptions."

"How many others? Fuck that's right. Nevermind. You don't have to explain. You make sure TitusDingleberry and Cornholio don't troll you too hard; they are bastards and they will send you dick pics. So be forewarned."

"How many other what? How many other women have I slept with since when? The dawn of my becoming a human or since we broke up this time? Woman, I've been faithful to you since I offered my brand loyalty remember? Until you tell me you do not want me, it will continue to be that way," Ulquiorra said. "I fucked up, Orihime. Just… Look at the pictures on that IG thing. Please. I tagged you in one of them."

"Ok. You might want to remind me tomorrow, though."

"I need you to do it now. Or I can send the pic to you."

"You mean right now while I have you on the phone?"

Ulquiorra nodded his head and then realized he didn't have rocks rattling around in it so there'd be no way that she could get that he gave her an affirmative answer. "Yes, right now. Please."

"Ok, hold on," she picked up her phone off her pillow and brought it to her face and clicked the app. She had a lot of notifications. "Ok, hold on this might take a minute. My god, there are a lot of penises on the internet." she scrolled through and was just overwhelmed with spam of the anonymous woman and Ulquiorra.

"Who the fuck's dick are you looking at?" he growled.

"I don't even know, there are so many. Have you seen my IG account? There are a lot of creeps who comment."

He rolled his eyes. "Do you want me to send you the pic or not? It would be much easier than having a drunk you trying to find it."

"Okay, okay, just send it then."

Her phone buzzed. She looked. "Ok, so... You are a hot guy. I knew that. Your new hair looks good."

"Do you see the tattoo?"

"Where is it… oh."

Ulquiorra waited for her to say something-anything else. "It's on my arm. "

"Yeah, I see it. Um, it's cute. I don't know why I'm surprised that it's in hiragana. It's cute that way."

"Orihime, I do apologize. I'm hurting just as much as you are. I was wrong to take my anger concerning Kurosaki out on you," he said. "That's what caused this. I'm the moron."

She was quiet for a long time, closing her eyes and opening them. "Yes, you are," she finally said, softly. "Did you know that getting tattoos in Thailand is crazy cheap?"

"How do you know this? Orihime," he said in warning. He couldn't stop her from doing anything but if she got a tattoo…

"I know stuff."

"Send me a pic of it?"

"I'm still designing it. Can't exactly model bikinis with a big red welt on my skin, can I?" she murmured. She sounded sleepy.

Ulquiorra sighed in relief. "I love you, Woman. You sound-Are you going to pass out?"

All he heard was the soft, familiar sound of her snoring. He didn't hang up the phone. He put it by his ear and listened to that sound until he fell asleep.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29: I Love...**

Ulquiorra's call history showed their call went on for six hours and thirty-seven minutes. She must have woken up and realized it had gone on or her phone died. His own phone battery was dangerously low. He plugged it in and went about his day, feeling more refreshed than he had in weeks. He actually got some painting done. Ulquiorra answered emails and other correspondences. It was a productive day.

He sat at his computer desk looking at the pictures of them together; pictures of her alone before they were together. He kept thinking about his conversation with Orihime. He knew how he felt about her. Why did he feel like that about her? That was one question that he could not answer at the moment.

Ulquiorra assumed a couple of things though.

She had been drunk, so anything he had said to her was probably forgotten. Maybe she forgot all about the picture he had sent. It looked much like the selfie he had sent the first time he revealed all of his tattoos to her.

Then her talk about whoever that was… He didn't understand why someone would troll her. He didn't even know what that term meant.

Several hours passed by and he thought about texting her, but she was probably busy or working. After all, she was a social creature, and he was not. He had no urge to be around others. He decided to text her anyway.

_\- What's this mean now? How do we proceed?_

It was worth a shot.

* * *

Orihime had woken up late and somewhat hung over. Her only saving grace had been that she had stopped drinking early in the evening and drank nothing but water until she eventually passed out. It was all good though; she wasn't on the schedule that day.

What time had that been? Even though it was already afternoon, she was still sleepy. She bet if she checked her phone she'd have some idea of what she had been up to. A worrisome thought briefly crossed her mind that she may have been playing on social media again, either posting unflattering or inappropriate pictures or getting into arguments with trolls. Either would get her a disapproving glare from Pauletto.

She picked up her phone. No power. What the heck? She usually left it charging all night long, but even then it would be unusual to be totally drained already. She plugged it in, and while it loaded, she went to the bathroom for her morning ritual and got herself a cup of coffee.

She opened the french doors to her room's balcony to let in the fresh ocean air and sat back down on her bed. She turned her phone over and checked her IG account. Nothing out of the ordinary, except that a picture of hers had been liked more than usual. She checked it. It actually wasn't a picture of her; it was Ulquiorra's, and he had tagged her in it. What the… he got a haircut. She hated to admit that it was cute. Adorable, even. Sexy. She groaned as her eyes swept the picture. He was topless and cut to perfection as he normally was in selfies. Wait… Is that? No! He wouldn't, would he? They were broken up! Why would he get her name tattooed on his forearm where anyone could read it? And after the interview, she gave yesterday running her mouth off to who she now realized was_not _her new BFF, Emi-chan, everyone who followed him would know who Orihime was. God, she was dumb.

Oh well. He had dumped her. It wasn't her job to protect his image.

She went into her texts and saw one from him last night. She didn't remember it. He was making excuses for getting caught with that skank from Aquamarine. It made her head throb.

Still, it didn't explain her drained battery. Then she checked her call log.

That explained it. Nearly seven hours on the phone? It didn't seem likely that she would forget _all _of it. She sat there trying to remember, when a new text came in from Ulquiorra.

How do we proceed? What does what mean? Why had she been on the phone with him? Panic started to well up in her. What if she had said something she couldn't take back? What if he had told her he had moved on?

She had to find out.

_Um, Ulquiorra? I'm sorry. I hope I didn't say anything too terrible last night. I really don't remember much._

He had decided to go out and get something to eat. That's what Ulquiorra was doing when the text came in. He was carrying home a bag with some premade meals in it. He dug his phone out of his pocket and looked at it. A sigh left him.

Using that shinigami trick, Ulquiorra made it home in no time flat. He didn't answer her text, choosing to eat before he dealt with it. Once he was done, he looked at the words on the screen of his phone. He could really fuck with her but decided not to.

_\- It's cool. I just, you know, declared my undying love and devotion to you. I apologized for being the world's biggest fuck up. No biggie. You probably disregard everything I say anyway. Hope you're not feeling too terrible today._

_\- Also, I'm not treating this lightly. It's a defense mechanism. If I have an "I don't care" attitude about it, it won't hurt as bad if you reject me. You have the grounds to reject me. I threw our relationship away because I was angry. I took you for granted. I don't deserve you, but I want you back in my life._

* * *

Orihime had taken a shower after sending the text to Ulquiorra. It was warm and comforting, although the climate was already warm. She had used a bit of the soap she had nicked from his stuff before she left home for this trip. The scent went well with the scenery. It made her miss him. After she got out of the shower, she decided that if he could post pics of a tattoo with her name on it and tag it, then a little turn about would be fair play. She put on the skimpiest bikini in Pauletto's collection and stood in front of a full-length mirror. She held the phone close to her navel and snapped a picture of her from her upper thighs up to her face, her free thumb hooked into the side string of the bikini bottom, pulling it down enough to reveal an unobstructed view of her number four tattoo. She tagged Pauletto for the bikini. She tagged Ulquiorra for the tattoo. She tagged Emi the journalist with the hashtag _interview sneak preview._

Her notifications started to go insane.

So many dick pics. So many compliments. So many trolls were calling her a whore or a slut. She didn't care about any of those reactions though.

She only cared about his. She wanted him to feel some of the same ache she was feeling. She wanted him to see what he was missing; what he'd thrown away.

Then his texts came. She didn't know what to say to them. If he wanted her back so badly why did he break up with her in the first place? Being angry seemed a flimsy excuse. People got angry all the time and didn't throw their romantic partners out on their asses. Also, why then, would he go out to fuck some nameless woman? How did he think that would help his chances of success? To her, it all smacked of someone who just wanted her around if it was easy and convenient. It made her feel replaceable. The tattoos were meaningless. The art was meaningless. What his motivation for those were was a mystery, but she figured it must be some form of self-soothing on his part, because dealing with her in person was clearly not on the top of his list of priorities unless he was trying to fuck her.

She sat and decided to tell him the truth.

_You rejected me. Disregard the IG pic. I posted it before I got your last 2 msgs._

At least the texting was faster today than it had been in the past couple of weeks. He shook his head. He would deal with the notifications he was getting after he sent her the text. Ulquiorra could not do as her return text said.

_\- I will not disregard it. _Dammit_, Woman! Do you not understand me?_

He sent another one. Maybe if he told her what happened, her memory would suddenly become clearer.

_\- I told you I apologized. You laughed because I didn't get laid… _Well_, you didn't laugh. You said I didn't get a cookie for not being able to go through with it. I said I loved you. You laughed then rambled about some interview and some dude. I sent you the pic. You said the tattoo was cute. You said you had dick pics and I got growly because why _woman_? Why would you tell me that? We fell asleep on the phone! Of _course_ you're going to deny everything now that you're sober!_

Ulquiorra decided to send one more text. Biting his lip, he tapped out a reply in an irritated manner.

_\- You told me that you thought I should see other people. You told me to do it to see if I loved you or if it was just for sex. That nameless bitch was just for sex. I could have gone and done drugs for the addictions. I don't want to replace you with that shit._

He was a fucking glutton for punishment because he just kept digging a hole for himself.

_\- I don't think I can love anyone else tho. It's you or no one. Sure I can fuck women, but it's something to do; to pass the time. I'm never going to have an emotional attachment to _any one_ who comes after you. I don't want to fucking experience anyone else's love for me. I made an error in _judgment_. I'm stupid, okay? If you're done with me, just fucking tell me._

Orihime read his texts as they came in, chewing on her lip and scowling, trying not to cry. Okay, so he didn't want to have sex with that woman or did he? To her, it was not possible for him to love her and have sex with someone else, despite what she said. Maybe it was not fair. Maybe she shouldn't have put it out there for him to do that. Maybe she hadn't thought it through. She never expected it to hurt this much though. Even if he hadn't gone through with it, that he even considered it meant to her that he had been truly done with her. Especially since the only thing that kept him from going through with it was erectile dysfunction.

_I'm hurt. Do you have any idea how it felt to see those pictures? To know that the only thing stopping you from doing it was ED? You went out. You wooed her. You took her to the hotel. The intent was there. I know I said to do it but… How would you feel if the tables had been turned? If it was me and some guy? What would you do?_

Double fucking standard. He had been duped.

_\- I see how it is. It was a trap. A trick. I would call it karma. I would get fucking pissed, but I know I deserved it. I didn't woo anyone. I had a couple of drinks. I caught her eye. I danced one fucking song with the bitch. She said she would pay for a room. Okay. You told me to try it. You told me to do it. Don't forget that. As much as it hurt you to tell me to go out and sleep with other people you told me to do that._

She could pull her hair out. He didn't get it.

_It wasn't a trick. You told me I was a drug to you. You told me you maybe didn't love me. You told me you were only obsessed with me because I made you feel good. I didn't know what to do. I thought telling you to do that would be what was right for you. I had no idea how much it was going to hurt me._

Ulquiorra's eyes went over the text several times. Did she not see what was wrong in their relationship? Did she not see how wrong that was of him to think of her that way?

_ \- If I didn't love you, I would be able to forget about you. I wouldn't hurt right now. I wouldn't be sitting here thinking about you. If I were not in love with you, it wouldn't have mattered. Are you done with me? Yes or no?_

Why? Why did it feel like the best course of action right now was to cut open her chest and pull her heart out?

_If I was done with you, I wouldn't be talking to you right now. I would have let that photographer with the wandering hands do what he wanted. I would have not stopped at the one bottle of wine and probably done something like go swimming alone in the ocean at night. I just don't know how to recover from this. But, you told me a while ago that you would never leave my side and that the only person who would leave this relationship would be me. You lied. I don't know what to do with that._

Ulquiorra wanted to throw his phone. Why was she telling him this? To hurt him more? Okay, he deserved it.

_\- Being in love means putting the other person first. I thought I did that. I want you to do well. I want you to be successful. I'm a selfish person though. I took a lot from you and barely gave anything back. Yes, I spoke pretty words, and I made promises. I want to be hopeful that maybe you're going to give me another chance. I don't deserve it because of how I treated you. You have every right to refuse and reject me._

A tear slipped out of his eye, and Ulquiorra wiped his face. These humans and their stupid emotions.

Orihime couldn't believe what she was reading. What the hell?

_Wait. Are you telling me that that whole time… the entire thing. Was it all just words? Was any of it real?_

She couldn't write more if she wanted to. She couldn't see. She couldn't breathe. All she could do was curl up, hold on and ride out the bitterness that was choking her.

Oh no. No no no. Ulquiorra dialed her number and waited. His words were being misinterpreted.

She heard the phone buzz. She thought it was another text. She couldn't see the words "incoming call". She pressed what she thought was the button to open the message. She didn't bother to censor the ragged, raw sobs that retched out of her open mouth nor the staccato gasps between them as she accidentally answered his call.

He was going to start explaining, but he heard her. Ulquiorra's breath stopped in his throat. "Orihime?" He asked. He didn't know if he could do this.

Of course, she didn't hear him. She was too loud to perceive his voice through the earpiece. She was trying to calm herself though, attempting to calm her breathing so the tears would slow down and she might be able to see something. The sobs stopped after thirty seconds. The sharp, involuntary inhalations took longer. In fact, they were still coming when she cleared her eyes long enough to see that the line was open. She didn't know who it was so in a panic she put the device to her ear.

"Hello?"

"They weren't just words," Ulquiorra said

A tightly wheezed, "What?" was his reply.

"I said," Ulquiorra replied but stopped speaking because his voice cracked. "I said they weren't just words. Everything I have said to you has been the truth, but circumstances change. You don't have to deal with what goes on in my head Orihime, I do. I had to think about things."

She could only manage a flutey, sniffly, hiccupping voice to respond with. "You had to think? You had to think and break up with me… I don't understand, Ulquiorra." She let out a soft cry. "I don't understand how you can say those things and then do that. I don't even know why. You were angry and then you weren't." Another hiccup. "You came over to my place to get your stuff and kissed me. Then you left again all pissed off after I said you should find out if you loved me by falling in love with someone else. You said no you wouldn't. You said you were too busy to find some bitch to stick your dick into. How long did that last? Three days? A week? It wasn't only then, either. Before that. You wanted to die and you didn't care how much it would hurt me. You only cared about how pissed off you were that I saved you and how I gave you shitty powers," her voice had reduced to a whiney breath at this point. "Your pride was more important to you than me…" Her mind was going in circles, trying to touch on all the points she had thought about since she found out about the woman from Aquamarine and before. There was a lot to deal with and she was losing focus. "What was real?"

He grit his teeth, trying not to get angry. It was clear she didn't understand him. "I am a proud creature. I was like that as an Espada but no one noticed! Excuse me if I didn't want to be some damsel in distress for you to save! I didn't want to rely on you as you relied on Kurosaki all those years ago. I fell in love with you and if I hadn't done that when I died, I would have gone to hell. This… being in love with you now and being separated from you is hell." Ulquiorra had to pause to wipe his eyes. They burned from the tears he refused to shed. "You don't know what it's like to be powerless and feel the fear I felt when Grimm-"

"BULLSHIT!" it was a weak scream, honestly. She didn't have full use of her voice yet; it was too tight. "That is utter bullshit! You don't remember kidnapping a sixteen-year-old girl who only knew that her friends would die if she didn't give up her life and follow Aizen and the Aizenettes? I was powerless compared to you. I was nothing compared to Aizen! So don't tell me I don't know how it feels!" She stopped to breathe, then continued. "I don't want to save you. I _HAVE _to save you, because letting you die would kill me!"

"You said you weren't afraid of me," he said quietly, his anger fading to the background of his mind. Ulquiorra had to swallow the lump in his throat. He knew it. He knew she had been terrified of him. "I told you, I'm tired of this world. I've lived for a long time. I didn't realize it would hurt you until-I just realized what you mean. You being in some other place and not nearby..." He couldn't go on. He couldn't say it.

"I was afraid of the situation, back then. Not you specifically. All of it," she said, referring to the start of the Winter War. "I don't know what you are trying to say now."

A deep breath. Ulquiorra tried to calm his jilted breathing using that technique. It didn't work. "I realized I hurt you and it's fucking killing me. Hurting you made me realize I love you. I know I said I wanted to die. I know I was angry at you. Can you put yourself in my place? I have this thing stalking me but I can't see him. I know he's there though. You could see us. I couldn't see Grimmjow. He knew it. That fucked with my already screwed up mind."

She rolled her eyes. "I was not born with these gifts, you know. There was a time when I couldn't see hollows at all. The gift manifested slowly. Like you, I could sense things but not see them. I was hurt by hollows but couldn't see where they were to defend myself or run away. I only came into my power months before we met. So yes, I have been in your place. It's no excuse!"

Ulquiorra hung up the call. He wasn't going to sit there and have his fears and the psychological torture that he suffered at the hands of Grimmjow be swept under the rug when he had so much other shit to deal with. He did, however, send Orihime another text.

_\- Clearly_,_ this is too fresh for us to deal with. Call me in a couple of days or when you get back._

She growled and threw the phone into her pillows when she read his text. Once again, he was making unilateral decisions. She picked up the phone and began typing a reply. Then she deleted it and started again.

She did this fifteen times.

Finally, she decided, fuck it. She went down to the hotel bar, swollen eyes, and everything. She sat there and drank water. She kept meaning to order something stronger, but she couldn't make up her mind. Her comfort was not in any one of those bottles. It was very late when she pulled up a picture on her phone. It was one she had snapped while they were together, a rare one of Ulquiorra looking at her camera with happy, relaxed eyes, and a wide, carefree smile. She had taken it one day as he had been walking through their bedroom after a shower. He looked so happy in it. It made her heart twist painfully.

What was the truth?

She wasn't any closer to it when she finally fell into bed a couple of hours before dawn.

* * *

Ulquiorra sent her another text. He didn't know when to quit. He really didn't.

_\- I know you may not believe me. I love you Orihime. I can disassociate love and sex. It's nothing to have sex with someone. The women that came before you were nothing. You are my everything. I never told you that. I never showed you that. Every time we've been together, I never considered it just sex. You showed me why it's called making love. I took you for granted. I took our relationship for granted. I apologize for that and for hurting you. Do what you need to do. I'll be here if you ever decide you want to talk to me again or try to work this out._

He looked at the images he had of The Woman and The Moon, his lip quivering. He was tempted to list it on a popular auction site, just to be rid of it. By the time he crawled into bed, he decided against it.

* * *

The next morning she woke up to his text. It gave her mixed feelings. She didn't respond. It didn't make her feel any better that he could disassociate love and sex. She couldn't. Yeah, he never told her those things about her being his "everything." He said a lot of things about her though that could mean something similar to that. Did he mean any of it though?

The worst part was that he put the ball in her court. Was he washing his hands? Did he think the responsibility for repairing their relationship now fell on her shoulders? That's how it felt. She didn't think it was fair. It didn't make her feel like he took this seriously. She didn't reply.

She went to work later that morning and got reamed out for looking like a tired piece of shit. She had no excuse. She was a tired piece of shit. She got her shoot done though; the entire time listening to Pauletto grumbling about having to pay extra to have her photos retouched. Orihime apologized and promised to go to bed early that night. She did.

It didn't mean she slept well.

Still, the following day she looked better. She had an early morning call and Pauletto was pleased that her face had improved and even apologized for being so cranky the day before. He blamed it on a stomach ache. He asked Orihime to take a picture together with him for Instagram. She couldn't really say no. He grinned a cheesy grin, flashing a peace sign in his tropical-print shirt, linen shorts and flip-flops, his wild, curly, salt-and-pepper hair sticking out in every direction in the humidity, looking like a crazy uncle on vacation with his arm draped loosely over Orihime's shoulder. She managed a half-smile, with one raised brow, her posture doing nothing for the white bikini she wore. There was no joy in her eyes.

She posted it to her account and tagged Pauletto. Her stomach was sour as she thought about Ulquiorra probably seeing it. There was nothing she could do, though. It was her job.

* * *

He was drunk. He was sitting at his desk, downing some dark alcohol that he'd gotten at the store. It was cheap. Ulquiorra shook his head the room shifting slightly. Orihime hadn't answered him but she read his message. He knew that much. Now she was tagging other guys in pictures. He snorted with laughter.

It wasn't funny. None of this was funny. He couldn't paint. He couldn't do anything. At this point, he didn't care.

Dialing her number, Ulquiorra brought his phone up to his ear and then put his forehead against the flat surface in front of him. He needed to talk to her. He needed to hear her voice. It was a fucked up mentality but he didn't know how to cope with this. He didn't know how to deal with all of this.

He could pinpoint the location of the shinigami. He could pinpoint where the Quincy was at. He could feel the spiritual pressure of every person with a flicker of spiritual power in them. He hated it. It was over-fucking-whelming. She was supposed to be at his side, helping him wade through all of this new stuff. He was used to dealing with Ceros and Sonidos; dark energy… Not shinigami powers.

Orihime was walking back to her room when the call came in. She fumbled with her phone and answered. She knew who it was before she checked. Nobody else called her. He had probably seen the picture.

"Hello?"

"Hey," he said. Ulquiorra had to work hard for his voice not to slur. "You're looking nice."

"No, I'm not. I got yelled at for looking tired. You sound tired."

Ulquiorra shrugged. "Eh, happens when you don't sleep and drink. Is that man-" He had to fucking man up and take responsibility. "Is that man your-Is that your boss?"

"Ulquiorra, you've met Pauletto a dozen times at least. Yeah, okay, he looks kind of like a Mediterranean troll doll these days but it's the same guy. He bought us drinks after Markus hired us. Don't you remember him?"

A sigh of relief came out of his mouth. "I'm drunk. I'm very, very, very drunk," he said. "I want to see you when you come back."

A sigh of exasperation came from her. "So is this what I sounded like the other night? Because if it is you are not going to remember a word of this conversation tomorrow." She wasn't amused, but she wasn't annoyed either. She honestly couldn't be mad about this. It's exactly what she wanted to do two nights ago.

"Nah, voice was slurry and you were loud," he replied. "I miss you. I love you. I'm sorry I was an asshole to you. I was scared. This entire thing is frightening; falling in love with you; letting you into my life; dying… Fuck it. Sorry I called."

"Okay," she said. She didn't hang up. She kept walking through the hotel lobby toward the stairs. She didn't want to run the risk of losing reception on the elevator. Her room was only on the third floor anyway. "You_ are _slurry and loud, though." This was a drunken, rambling non-apology apology. Maybe he had more things to get off his chest while he was at it. She didn't have plans. She could let him drone on. Maybe the booze would make him honest? Who knows. She wanted to find out.

"I'm not slurry. I'm never loud. I'm not angry at you. I was pissed off at Kurosaki! His damn words!" He picked up his head up then drained his glass. "It's not good for me to be jealous. It's how I got locked in that fucking Caja Negacion. I want you here. I want to hold you. I want to tell you things."

"What do you want to tell me?" she asked, pulling her card key out of her lock, slightly out of breath from the stairs, and going into her room.

He picked up the almost empty bottle, clanking it against his glass. "Uh, I was horrible to you. I love you. God, Woman-" Ulquiorra had to choke back a sob which failed. He vowed he would never drink again. He hated what it did to him. "Are you happy where you're at? I mean there… Thailand? Are you happy there?"

"No. I'm miserable," she stated. It was a simple truth. She spoke it simply.

"Oh. Me too. I wanted to tell you things. You won't believe me."

She flopped down on her bed on top of the blankets. "Try me."

"You're right. I didn't think of how much my death would hurt you. I didn't think at all. I made it all about me. I was acting like a wounded thing because my pride was hurt. Stupid, huh?" he asked. He put the bottle down on the desk but it almost went crashing to the floor because he hadn't put it all the way onto the piece of furniture. "Oops."

"Careful. Don't make a mess. You don't like messes," she murmured. She had heard the rattling. "Yeah, that was pretty stupid though, I guess."

He huffed. "Novelist says I have to give you more than orgasms to make this work. I've got to let you further in. You're my steady stream of endorphins. Looking at you makes me happy. I liked all your pictures-" He hiccuped. The effects of more alcohol loosened his tongue. Ulquiorra felt like he could say anything to her. "I gave them all my heart."

"You did? Thank you." He was plowed. He was completely bombed out of his skull. He shouldn't be doing that. Not with his issues with his body. She stifled a sigh. It wouldn't help anything to make him feel bad about it now. He'd probably not remember it if she lectured him, and she didn't want to anyway. He'd feel bad enough as it was in the morning with the hangover he'd likely have. Then again, maybe his regeneration abilities extended to his liver. Lucky duck in that case. "Did you have a favorite picture?"

This brought a smile to his face. "All of them. The small bikini and the tattoo. Your smiling face. The thousand yard stare. All of the ones I've taken of you," he replied. Ulquiorra felt his brain start feeling fuzzy. It was nice feeling that sensation again. "Hime? How did I make you feel? Did I make you feel special? Loved?"

"Sometimes, I think so. You are the only person who has ever… I thought you felt passion for me. I thought I was your queen sometimes." Her guts felt cold. It was a very hard thing to talk about. She had thought she was special to him but after he dumped her each time she had to wonder if he meant any of the things he had said to her. He had said the tattoos and the art were about her or for her, but when it came down to actually being with her, he couldn't handle it. She twisted her mouth and stopped talking.

"I love you. Everything was real. I don't want to forget you. I don't know what passion is. Maybe it's this obsessed feeling I have for you. Maybe it's the overwhelming need to be by you," Ulquiorra fell silent as he took another drink from the glass. The liquid had stopped burning a long time ago. "This bottle is almost empty. I told myself not to call you. You're right. I do whatever the fuck I want. Heh."

"Ulquiorra, how much did you drink? Are you going to be alright?" The worry in her voice was plain. She didn't know much he could take; she'd never seen him have more than one or two drinks per night.

"Bottle is almost gone. I'll be fine. I've drank a lot more than this," he said. "I panicked, Orihime."

"What did you panic about?" she was starting to feel dread. What had he done? Was there more to this? Did she need to come back?

Ulquiorra sighed. "Me. You. Us. Dying. My new powers. I could have stayed in that dark place. I wanted to come back to you. That voice told me it would all be different. I'm not sure of my place now."

Orihime released the bottom of the breath that she had held in anxiety. He was just drunk, she realized, profoundly relieved. It didn't stop the tear the streaked down her face, though. "Whose voice did you hear, Ulquiorra?"

"I don't know. It was after Grimmjow put his hand through me. Everything was black. I was warm. It asked me what I was thinking. I thought it was a dream. You matter more than I do. You have friends. I only have you, and I don't even have that now.." The sob that came from him this time was unrestrained and raw. "I'm sorry. Sorry. I should… I shouldn't bother you."

"Ulquiorra, you're not making any sense. You have friends. You'd have more if you didn't push everyone away. People like you. Don't fabricate a tragic reality for yourself. Real life is hard enough." She was not in the business of attending his self-pity party or anyone else's. "Besides, who do I matter to? Quin. Maybe you on the occasions you want me to matter. That's it. Do you think Kurosaki would care if I died? Do you think Urahara or Pauletto or anybody else would? No! They'd be like, "oh that's a shame, she was young." and go about their lives. Nobody else would care. I don't know if you're expecting a parade of roses or something, but most people are selfish."

The sad things that were rolling around in his head morphed into irritation and anger. "You always do this. You invalidate my feelings just because I'm feeling sorry for myself. Boohoo it's all about poor innocent Orihime! Do you like playing the fucking victim?" He slammed his glass down on the desk. It was unfortunate that he did that — the precarious position he had placed the bottle sent it crashing to the floor.

Orihime sighed. "Be careful," she said in an even tone. "And no, do I sound like a victim to you? I'm just stating the truth. I am not upset or bothered that a whole bunch of people wouldn't care if I died. It is what it is. It's not something that bothers me. I only care about what the people I love think." She breathed heavily through her nostrils and shook her head. He probably would misconstrue this, too.

He looked at the broken bottle on the floor and the rest of the liquid that was seeping into the wood floor, with dull green eyes. He didn't give a fuck that he'd made a mess. "Sometimes you do. I wanted to make sure you were safe. I was willing to die for you again."

A heavy sigh. Then another. "What good would it do for me to live without you?" The question came on a rough whisper. She didn't really want to say it, but it came out anyway. She knew if he heard it, she would be proving his point. Still, it was how she really felt. If he heard it, he heard it. "I don't want you to die for me. I wanted you to live for me. To live _with _me. You invalidate my feelings when you say that because I have these other people in my life that supposedly care for me that it should make it okay for you to die and me to have to live the rest of my life without you. You…" she was running out of courage to keep speaking. Her mind was going to dark places.

"I FIGURED YOU'D BE HAPPIER!" The words left him louder than he intended. "You'd be able to have a normal relationship. Not being dragged down by a fuckboy; a mental case; a drug addict."

"You were never any of those things to me. You stopped being a fuckboy the day you swore me your brand loyalty, remember? You've never done drugs that I have seen. I can't say anything toward your mental status. But here's the rub: did it never occur to you that I might be broken too? That if you died, I might not have anything to live for? Nothing worth hanging on to?" She bit her lower lip hard. It sounded melodramatic when it was put into words. Still, didn't he understand? If he had died, she wouldn't have survived the week.

This was new information. Ulquiorra felt his chin quivering again. He never expected her to say that. "Just because you've never seen me do them doesn't mean I'm not an addict," he said quietly. "I'm going to go. I've got some stuff to think about." He didn't hang up though.

All he could hear was her breathing through the phone for a half a minute, until she finally took a quick breath and said, softly, with an unguarded bit of sad affection, "Okay. Be careful about the glass, alright? Get some rest, too. I know how you can get wrapped up in your thoughts and not sleep. You're still human, though."

Could he say it? Should he? "I don't want to sleep without you," he finally mumbled.

Her heart warmed and her sinuses burned. "Okay. Go lay down. I'll stay until you fall asleep."

"We did that the other night. Woke up the next day feeling great. Orihime," Ulquiorra said. He stood up and gingerly walked over the bits of glass. The room swayed as he walked over to the ladder. There was no way he was getting up that. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" She wasn't sure if he meant staying on the phone the other night or something else.

"I'm sorry for ruining us." Ulquiorra sat down in front of the ladder with a thump.

She wanted to tell him that he hadn't; that there was still hope for them, but she didn't want to sound like she was making a promise to him that she might not be able to keep. She cried silently as the weight of his words settled around her. "It feels that way, doesn't it?" she finally said. He'd be able to hear the tightness in her voice, but she thought she did a decent job covering up the tears. Then she took another uneven breath. "But we're both still here."

"I made you cry again. I'm always doing that. Did it as an Espada. Doing it as a human. I don't deserve you." Ulquiorra sighed and let his head fall against a rung of the ladder. "Your voice gives you away when you're about to cry. I think… I don't know."

A dry laugh. "I'll tell you a secret, Ulquiorra. Nobody deserves anyone. We love. We choose to accept or reject love. That's all there is to it. I am crying. You know me."

He closed his eyes. "Will you let me see you when you come back?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation. "We need to talk."

"We've been talking. No one's listening though."

"I'm listening. Not agreeing and not listening aren't the same thing." She paused. "But you know what? Let's put off any more talking and listening until you're sober, okay? For now, do you want to tell me about your day or just close your eyes or tell me about something weird you saw or read?" He needed sleep. Talking about their relationship was probably only going to rile him up more.

He let out a heavy sigh. "I've sat around and moped all day. I'm supposed to be painting. I've got nothing." Ulquiorra was having trouble breathing. It felt like a band was tightening around his chest. That panicky feeling was starting in the pit of his stomach. She didn't want to talk to him about them. His alcohol soaked brain was telling him all sorts of stuff. Stuff that probably wasn't true.

"If you can't paint, maybe display some of your photography? You have some really beautiful still lifes and city scenes and portraits. I always liked looking at your photography." She sensed his despair. She wanted to help.

He scoffed. "I'm not a photographer," Ulquiorra replied. "I just like taking pictures of you."

"It's just an idea. Something for if all else fails. As long as you're alive and have the use of your body, there's always hope, you know?" she chuckled softly. "I used to tell myself that all the time. When I was younger. When I was in Las Noches. When I first started living with Quin. All the times when I felt powerless and like I couldn't get anything right."

Was she saying he had a chance? His brow furrowed but Ulquiorra was too drunk to contemplate anything. He was way past that point of deep conversations. He was at the point of ramble and maybe pass out mid-word. He could feel that black wave of sleep coming towards him. "Hey," he said.

"Yeah?"

"I love-" Ulquiorra dropped off. He passed out.

* * *

Like the story? Leave a note in the review box if you have a minute. Thanks for reading!


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30: Let's Hurt**

His head hurt. The phone was dead. He was cold and for some reason woke up sitting on the floor in front of the ladder. Fuck. There was also a broken bottle on the floor. The sour smell of whatever he'd been drinking hung in the air. Ugh. Ulquiorra's stomach turned. Luckily he was close by the bathroom. After attempting to heave the contents of his stomach into the toilet, he brushed his teeth and drank a glass of water. He needed coffee too.

His phone was still dead.

Where the fuck were those things for a headache?

The coffee did not help. It made him want to rush back to the bathroom. When he emerged again, he just sat in the armchair and looked at the dull sky. He knew he called Orihime last night. He knew he said stuff. Ulquiorra sighed, unsatisfied with himself.

* * *

Orihime had held onto the receiver the night before, not quite comfortable leaving him unsupervised until she was satisfied that his breathing had leveled out to a calm, regular pattern. It took nearly twenty minutes for the breath holding, teeth grinding and gasping to taper off. She waited another twenty until she felt like he was probably not going to choke on his own tongue and ended the call.

Tokyo was two hours ahead of Phuket, so it wasn't as late for her. Someone knocked on her door not long after she disconnected the call. She got up and looked out the peephole and saw the face of Pauletto's personal assistant. She opened the door quickly. The assistant wore a frantic expression.

"What happened? Is everything okay?"

"No, it's not. Pauletto's in the hospital. We're cancelling the shoot tomorrow morning. We're having an emergency meeting at 11:00 in the morning in Conference Room A. Attendance is mandatory. We'll let you know what is going on then. Don't be late, okay? I know you never are, but please just make sure you're there," the young man said, already walking to the next door and knocking on it.

"I will," Orihime said, closing her door. She had a hard time falling asleep.

The next morning she woke up feeling alright and with ample time on her hands. She ate some fruit and took a shower. She contemplated texting Ulquiorra, but she needed time to think. She was distracted worrying about Pauletto. She was more worried about Ulquiorra. She waited until nearly noon Tokyo time to send him a message.

_I hope you're not feeling too terrible this morning. I was worried about you last night. Please let me know if you're alright once you are awake._

He had been dozing in the chair, curled into a ball when he heard his phone chime. He didn't want to get up to retrieve it. Ulquiorra had plugged it in before he had gotten the cup of coffee. Whoever it was texting him, they could wait… What if it was Orihime? With a grunt he unfolded his legs and stood on shaky legs. He still felt drunk. He practically collapsed into his office chair when he got to the desk.

Ulquiorra read her text. If she was texting him, whatever he had said must have not been that bad. Though, knowing his ex-girlfriend, she had a good heart and would text him even if she hated him. She said she hated Kurosaki but she still cared about him. Maybe he was interpreting things wrongly.

_\- I'm dying. That's what it feels like. Sorry I bothered you last night._

Orihime read his message. She was afraid he might feel like this. No, she was sure he would. He never drank that much.

_I'm sorry to hear that. Don't step on the broken glass. Isn't your cleaning lady coming today? I'm sure she wouldn't mind helping you clean it up. Take an aspirin and drink some water slowly. Eat something plain. Slowly._

She never addressed his apology.

\- _Call it even for my drunken tirade from the other night?_

He looked around for this broken glass she mentioned but saw nothing that indicated there had been anything like that. Ulquiorra glanced at the time on his phone. The cleaning lady had already been there.

_\- She already cleaned it up. I've been asleep most of the morning. The thing about your drunk tirade and mine is I remember what I said to you._

Oh. Well. That was different.

_Oh. Well, that is unexpected. I'm on my way to a meeting now. Pauletto came down with something and is in the hospital so we're having this emergency meeting to find out how he's doing. It's all very nerve-wracking. Also, if you remember what you said then you know you don't need to apologize. You didn't say anything bad._

Ulquiorra rubbed his forehead. Of course he had to apologize. He had no reason to bother her.

\- _I should respect boundaries. I shouldn't have called and subjected you to my inane rambling. I shouldn't be fighting for you to come back when I pushed you away._

She didn't have a chance to respond before the meeting started. The group was informed that Pauletto had suffered acute appendicitis and would be in the hospital for a few days recovering. Production would be halted and everyone would be sent back early, in waves. Talent would be the first to go back, then production crews, then support staff. The shots missed would have to be rescheduled to a later date and time, and probably in a different location.

Most everyone was disappointed. Nobody wanted to leave Phuket. Nobody except Orihime. She had mixed feelings about it. Yes, it was a paradise, but the uncertainty surrounding her and Ulquiorra's relationship meant she was not free to enjoy it. Despite her best efforts, she found herself focusing on the green-eyed man more often than not.

She found out that her flight was set to leave at seven that evening. It was about an eight-hour flight to Haneda from Phuket with a stopover in Bangkok. She didn't have a lot of time to get ready to leave. She packed as quickly as possible and ate something, and as she was in line to get onto a bus to take her to the airport, she responded to Ulquiorra's first. She ignored the words from his last text. She felt addressing them would only incite an argument.

_We agreed to talk when I get back. I don't know if you remember. Let me know if you still want to. I may not be able to reply anymore today, I'm going where there's going to be limited reception_.

She wasn't sure if she should tell him she was on her way home. It might put too much pressure on them.

He found the painkillers. He drank another glass of water. He didn't have anything to really eat in the apartment, so he skipped that step. It didn't really matter. He didn't want to move from the armchair. His phone was cradled in his lap. He'd been waiting for a text back.

\- _Can you come to my place or we can meet somewhere else? This hangover is brutal. I feel really shitty. I have nothing to eat here and there's no way I'm walking down that many flights of stairs _.

She was confused by his message when she got into her seat on the airport shuttle bus.

_I'm still in Thailand. I hope your hangover is better by the time I return to Japan._

_\- I know where you're at. I'm saying when you get here. Whenever you get here. I know you're scheduled to be there for like a week. You're going to be back for a couple days then jetting off to Russia or whatever it was._

Ulquiorra sent the text and decided to take a shower. That might make him feel better; at least it would make him feel slightly more human.

She lost reception soon after she sent her last text and didn't get it again until she was at the airport. The bus arrived late and she was herded into security while support staff checked her luggage. Cell phone use was not permitted in the security line. Before she knew it she was on a plane.

An hour and a half later and she was sitting on a tarmac in Bangkok and turned her phone on. She read his message and wondered if he was still awake. It was nearly eleven at night in Tokyo already. She wrote back anyway.

_Yeah. Your place will be fine. I have a feeling we'll need to be somewhere with minimal interruptions._

When he got out of the shower, Ulquiorra looked at her message. He walked over to his computer and sat down, tapping a few keys. The screen lit up and he quickly typed in what he was searching for. He didn't know if there was even a way to repair their relationship this time. There would be no friend period. There would be no dates this time. The trust Orihime had in him was probably shattered and sure, he could repair it but the cracks would still be visible.

He sent her a message in return.

\- _Okay. Just give me a heads up when you want to talk, I guess. You probably have stuff to take care of when you get home. I understand that. I'm not a priority._

She sighed. He had absolutely no clue. Not that it was a good thing at this point, probably, but he was the only thing besides work that occupied her mind.

"Miss, please turn off your phone, we're about to take off in a moment."

"Okay, can I just-?"

"No, I'm sorry, I must insist," the flight attendant said firmly. He meant it.

Orihime sighed and turned off her phone.

* * *

It was almost six in the morning when her plane touched down at Haneda. She hadn't slept well during the flight. She was exhausted and she looked terrible. She still had nearly an hour on a train in front of her, and that was after she got through immigration and customs.

Ulquiorra jerked awake and sat up in bed as he felt it. He looked around and then up at the ceiling. Orihime. That was her spiritual pressure. She was back? His brow furrowed. She wasn't supposed to be back yet. What happened? Five minutes passed and he could feel her reiatsu getting closer. It was faint but still, he felt it. They were linked together. What the fuck was she doing back? It was too soon.

He got out of bed, throwing on jeans and a hoodie. She wasn't supposed to be here. It didn't take him long to get to her apartment building. He would wait here for her.

It was nearly quarter to nine when she got out of the cab in front of her place. She paid the driver and waited for her things. She could feel Ulquiorra's spiritual pressure around. It was faint. He was probably still in bed, sleeping. Usually she couldn't feel him when he was awake unless he decided to let his reiatsu seep out a bit; he was still concerned about Grimmjow finding him. She smiled as the familiar energy surrounded her. She had missed it. Probably that was the reason she could detect it now, since she was used to not being around him.

She turned toward the door after getting her things and saw him. "You're here," she gasped, her eyes widening.

Ulquiorra was unimpressed as he stood against the building with his arms folded. He had seen the smile on her face. "Of course I am. I felt you. Did you forget that our spiritual pressure is linked? I've been waiting here for a while."

She looked at him with a small, contrite smile and pinched brows. "I'm sorry. I wasn't sure whether to tell you I was coming back now; it was kind of last minute. Pauletto was hospitalized and production was halted, and I was sent home… It's been kind of a whirlwind. I was going to tell you but I didn't want to put pressure on you to see me right away. I thought you'd be sleeping and I could tell you when you woke up." She made eye contact with him for a moment. "It's good to see your face, though."

The anger he was feeling melted away. She had been thinking about him. She had been considerate of his feelings and his habits. Ulquiorra shook his head. He was such an ass. "Can I help with anything? Do you want help? I've been here for about an hour, I felt you close by and woke up. I thought it was another one of those dreams."

She sighed. "I should have known. I'm sorry. I'm still not used to you being spiritually aware again. Well, since you're here and offering, you could help me with one of these," she said, gesturing to her bags, "And you can have a cup of coffee if you want. I'm going to need to sleep soon, though. I've been traveling for the past thirteen hours and I haven't gotten a lot of rest."

Ulquiorra grabbed all of her bags, waving off her protests. She looked like she'd been through hell but he wasn't going to say that. "I'll pass on the coffee if you want to go to bed. I just had to make sure you were okay."

She closed her eyes, pressing them shut as her heart lurched and warmed her chest. She had felt the same way the other night on the phone. She had been worried. She hadn't wanted to let him pass out alone. She opened the lobby door and waited until he brought the bags in to respond.

"I know how that is. Hey," she said, waiting for him to turn and face her.

With a deep breath, Ulquiorra finally lifted his gaze to look at the redhead. "Yeah?" he replied. He didn't know why he was feeling scared or like she was going to reject him.

She saw the fear in his eyes. She didn't want to give him false hopes or anything, but she was Orihime, and Orihime followed her heart. She closed the three steps between them and gave him a light hug. "Thanks for caring."

He froze and when his brain registered what she was doing, Ulquiorra was glad that he had his arms full of stuff because he would have wrapped them around her and never let go. "You're welcome. It's what any friend would do, right?" He stepped back from her and peered at Orihime.

A couple of tears were hanging out at the inner corners of her eyelids, and she gave him a wry smile, before looking around the apartment, "Well, you don't see Quin here, do you? Then again, he probably heard about Pauletto already. He's such a gossip." She wiped her eyes and shook her head. "Anyway, I know we said we'd talk but I know you're busy with your show this weekend and the last time we talked when you were sober didn't exactly go well. I meant it when I said I didn't want to pressure you. I'm not even supposed to be here, so…" she trailed off, not really wanting to take the lead here. She was tired and unsure what he was thinking.

Ulquiorra didn't want to tell her what he had done. For the first time in four years, C. Murcielago had canceled a show, citing illness as a reason that he could not fulfill his contractual obligation. The art world was dying for some news on what would make the introverted artist cancel a show. "Yeah, the show. It's fine, Orihime. No pressure," he said. "Let's go up to your apartment. You look like you're about to fall over. We can speak when you're rested."

She smiled and nodded. Her heart screamed at her to beg him to stay and hash it out now, but luckily her brain overruled. It would not do to talk in the physical state she was in. She'd be melodramatic or overly forgiving. She needed to be fully functional to have the conversation they needed to have. "Okay. Well, I may go to school later this week, but I've arranged my work so I don't have to go. I'd just go to work on my collection. Otherwise I have absolutely nothing going on until I have to go to Russia. That's if Pauletto is better by then. So, I guess I'm saying that I expect to be up to it from tomorrow so whenever you're ready, let me know."

He was silent as they walked to her apartment door. He waited for her to go inside before he put everything in the genkan. He didn't step foot into the apartment though. "Text me," he stated. "I'll always make time for you Orihime. I hope you know that."

"Alright. Good night, Ulquiorra," she shook her head and laughed at herself. "Have a nice day, I mean."

He flashed a small smile at her flub. "Have a good sleep," Ulquiorra replied. He didn't move though. The only thing going through his brain was to touch Orihime or kiss her.

"Thanks. It'll be nice to be back in my own bed, I think," she felt compelled to make conversation when he just stood there.

His mouth opened but immediately closed it. It wouldn't do to tell her he missed her bed. Instead, Ulquiorra nodded. "I should go and leave you be," he glanced at her then looked away. The dark-haired male did this several times before he just sighed. He needed to move for her to shut the door.

She wanted to hug him again. She wanted to ask him to stay and hold her while she slept. She knew that would be totally stupid. She just waited. She might have to push him out of the door though, if he didn't make a move. "Ulquiorra, are you alright?"

"Huh? Yeah," he said before swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat. It was only a couple of steps that separated them from each other. He took them. He cupped her face and tilted it up, staring at her before he let his mouth brush against hers. His eyes closed, enjoying the touch. He had kissed her in this very same apartment when he came to get his stuff that he had left there.

He broke the kiss and then turned around. He shouldn't have done that. He was getting his hopes up. Ulquiorra took a deep breath before he stepped back out in the hallway. "Like I said, text me."

She wasn't exactly stunned or surprised at what he had done. He had told her he still loved her and missed her several times during his drunken phone call. Her fingers brushed her lips as she watched him leave. "I will," she called after him softly and shut the door.

He used flash step to get home quickly appearing in his apartment less than five minutes after he left hers. Ulquiorra leaned against the door with his chest heaving. He had been so sure she would have smacked him or told him no. He shouldn't have kissed her. He shouldn't have invaded her personal space. He should have just stayed in his place.

Ulquiorra decided not to be a dick. He decided to show her appreciation.

_\- Thank you._

Orihime had dragged her bags into her room and was taking off her clothes and getting into bed when she got his text. It confused her in a pleasant way.

_For what?_

He bit his lip as he made himself a cup of coffee. Why did she have to question what he was doing?

\- _Not smacking me. For not screaming at me. For that moment of touch._

She smiled when she read his message. He was so weird. Maybe it was sleep-deprivation but she felt like just telling him how she really felt without worrying.

_Thanks for coming to see me. I love you._

She _almost_ sent it like that. At the last moment she deleted the last three words and modified the message.

_Thanks for coming to see me. I'll talk to you soon_.

* * *

Hirano was currently yelling at him on the phone. Ulquiorra sat there rolling his eyes and tapping the desk. After he calmed down, he went to the store and picked himself up some stuff that he needed around the loft. Paper towels, food, coffee, creamer, and sugar. He stopped by a wine shop that he had seen numerous times and asked for some recommendations. The salesperson let him sample the wine and Ulquiorra bought a bottle. It was good. He needed it to pair well with the chocolate he had ordered. At one point in time Orihime said he needed to learn what romance was. He knew what it was but it seemed to be a waste of time with the women that came before her.

When he got back to the loft, Hirano had called, bitching about his canceled appearance. He listened to her bitch, becoming more and more irritated as her words cut into his good mood.

"You want me to give up the shit I've worked on? It's fucking horrible. It's not art. It looks like a child fucking fingerpainted canvases and got a pat on the head," Ulquiorra snapped.

"No C, I want you to get your head out of your ass. You're going to throw your entire career away for a woman?"

"You have no right-"

"I do. You are my paycheck. You are my source of income so I-"

Ulquiorra hung up the phone and felt like spiking it against the floor. It was bullshit. He was just taking a much needed break. He had to get his head together. He had to find his muse again. Why couldn't people understand that? He needed only one person to understand that.

Orihime.

Why had he kissed her? Why was he chasing after her? Why had he bought her chocolate and wine? What would come next? Flowers? Roses? He thought about the other thing he had bought for her before shaking his head. He didn't want to think about that right now. It wouldn't help his mood lift or get better. Ulquiorra sighed as he sat at the desk.

Orihime woke up at about six in the evening. She unpacked her things and took a shower and redressed. She started on some laundry. She went through the bags of souvenirs she had bought while she was in Thailand. Each day she had downtime and did a little sightseeing around the resort. The day and a half before Pauletto got sick she had a lot of free time. She looked in the mirror at the souvenir she had gotten for herself. She shook her head. It was stupid. At least it was pretty.

Uryu came home as she was hanging laundry and was pleased to see her. He gave her a little hug and asked how everything had gone and what really happened with Pauletto. They ate a salad and caught up. He invited her to come out to Aquamarine. She refused. He asked if it had anything to do with Ulquiorra.

"No, why?"

"I know he was here, Boo. I can feel his spiritual pressure on you. What's going on?"

Orihime sighed. "I don't know. He called me completely drunk a few days ago apologizing and telling me he loved me and-"

Uryu scoffed. "Oh? Is that why Kurosaki and Yui watched him go off to bang the bank teller?"

"Is that what she really is?"

"Yep."

"Figures," she laughed. She and Quin had once gotten drunk at home and jokingly made a list of arbitrary stereotypes of people based on their professions, and one of the stereotypes listed was that young women who worked as bank tellers and hair stylists were slutty. "Well, really Quin, I don't know what is going to happen. We have a lot to talk about."

Ishida was not pleased. "I can't tell you what to do. I just worry about you."

"I know. I love you, too, Quin," she said in a voice that an embarrassed kid would use.

Ishida smirked. "Don't forget it, Kiddo."

After Quin left, Orihime changed her laundry and got onto her phone. She looked at those pictures of Ulquiorra and the bank teller again. It still hurt. She needed to let her spiritual pressure release a bit. Maybe she could even attract a small hollow and kick its ass. Or watch the Shibuya shinigami do it. That chick was lazy anyway. She laid down and let her irritation float along her invisible, golden ribbon of reiatsu that stretched out in all directions. She decided she had better warn Ulquiorra so he didn't worry.

_Don't mind me. Quin got under my skin. He's gone now but I need to vent a bit._

He'd been dozing in that armchair again when he felt her spiritual pressure spike. Then his phone vibrated. Ulquiorra read the message, frowning.

\- _Want to talk about it? I mean over text while you're doing whatever it is. I think the Koenji shinigami just fell off the roof._

_Sorry about that. I think it's something better talked about in person later, I think. I'm thinking I should waste a little hollow. Bad idea, huh?_

He scoffed. It seemed reckless, not stupid.

\- _I know how you feel. Hirano kinda bitched at me earlier. I don't think you should do it... but… I can't tell you what to do. Do what you need to do. I'll be here for you. It's reckless and careless. I can feel everything you're doing. I don't want you to get hurt._

She sighed. She pulled it back.

_You're right. It's selfish. Sorry to bug you._

His mouth twisted to the side. How was she bugging him?

\- _Don't. It's comforting. You're not bugging me. I still miss you _.

She sent out another pulse, letting it linger a bit before pulling it back. Her phone buzzed.

_Whatever you're doing, knock it off. It's distracting. I'm trying to get laid, here_.

She laughed and sent a message to Ulquiorra.

_I've been admonished. Apparently I'm cockblocking Quin. Lol._

His face broke out into a full smile which he took a picture of. He let his teeth worry his lower lip before he decided to send the picture to her along with his own ribbon of reiatsu. He knew his spiritual pressure was somewhat darker than hers. Sometimes it felt heavy to him.

\- _Thanks for the laugh._

She smiled. She got the message, the picture, and the spiritual pressure at the same time. She didn't send a picture back, but she returned his text.

_Thanks for the spirit hug. Good night. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?_

Ulquiorra sent a stronger flick of reiatsu to her. It was risky but he wanted her to know how he felt right now.

_\- Anytime._

She let his soul wrap around her and coiled her own around it in a kind of metaphysical handhold.

_Get some rest._

_ \- Took a nap. You get some sleep._

He sent the message, feeling that flood of warmth go throughout his body.

_ \- You're doing things to me, you know _.

She let go.

_Sorry. But to be fair, you were just hanging out here. Your SP was anyway. It's nice, you know. It's still you from before. But it's nice. Thought you might like to know._

Ulquiorra contemplated calling her. She probably wouldn't appreciate it but at this point he didn't care. He could send her a video call. He shook his head. He had just seen her earlier that day. With a sigh, he climbed up to his bedroom and sat down on the bed. He tapped on the phone icon. Might as well get it out of his system.

"Hello?"

"Hey, you busy?"

"No. What are you doing?"

"Sitting in my room," Ulquiorra said. "You?"

"Same. In my room," she replied. "Everything alright?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, just wanted to hear your voice. You don't mind, do you? I mean I can understand if you do but… I figured that little SP play..."

She chuckled. "I wasn't playing. It's in my nature to soothe."

Ulquiorra gave a drawn-out sigh. "Orihime, today has left me confused. I want to see you again."

"What are you confused about? I mean, don't you think you ought to know how you feel before you see me again?" She bit her lip and frowned.

"I know how I feel," he answered. "I'm confused by you. Why the hug? Why did you let me kiss you? Why this?"

"Why do you think? I mean, just because things between us are not right doesn't mean I don't still have feelings for you. They don't just go away," she answered. She sounded somewhere between frustrated and calmly resigned.

He closed his eyes and flopped back onto the bed. "I know. I'm quite aware that they don't go away. I'm struggling with how I'm feeling for you. I have to restrain myself from texting you or calling. I was going to do a video call with you."

She inhaled slowly through her nose and exhaled slowly through her mouth. "I understand the impulse and I assure you you're not alone but I'm glad you didn't. If there is anything we should have learned it's that our..._ sexual _attraction to one another only distracts us from the issues that keep tearing us apart. I don't expect it to go away but if we indulge it it's going to make everything else harder, I guess. I dunno. I just know we're still not better than we were while I was in Thailand, are we?"

"No, probably not. I know that I regret hurting you. I know that I didn't give you enough of myself. I know that we have a lot of history." Ulquiorra opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling. "Why do we need to wait to talk? Why can't we do it right now?"

"I need a day to decompress from travel and gather all my thoughts. Right now I'm just relieved to be back and to feel your presence. If I tried to talk to you now I would probably roll over and pretend everything is fine when it isn't."

Ah, that's what was holding this up. "Wanna tell me why Quin got to you today?" Ulquiorra asked.

"He told me about the woman you met at Aquamarine. Did you know she's a bank teller?"

Fuck. Of course Ishida was putting his nose where it didn't belong. "The conversation between us did not cover occupations. It was hey, how are you, wanna dance? That was it besides the other stuff." He didn't see why this was a problem. "Why?"

"It really doesn't matter. It could have been anyone, that's not the point. It just remains that it happened. But that's what Quin said that made me flare my reiatsu." Her tone was subdued.

"How many times do I need to apologize for fucking up? How many times do I need to say I am sorry for doing what you said?" Ulquiorra felt resigned. He knew he made his bed and now he had to lie in it.

"I don't know. I don't think apologies are what are needed. I don't know. This is new territory for me. I just know that…" She sighed a big sigh. "We shouldn't talk about this until we… Until we're ready to duke it out."

Tch. Of course she wanted to sit and stew. "Okay. Goodnight then."

His disappointing response only solidified her resolve. "Goodnight," she said, a trace of disappointment evident. She hung up.

* * *

Hirano called the next morning. "C, great news."

"Coming from you nothing is great news Hirano."

"I got the show postponed. You have a week to shit art out of your ass," the PR woman stated. The threat was implied.

"Okay, fine. What time?" Ulquiorra listened to the woman bark the time of the opening and the deadline when the art needed to be at the gallery. It was obvious that Hirano didn't understand he needed a break.

When he got done talking to her, he turned back to his computer where he was answering various offers to model which all got the thumbs down. He wasn't a model. He didn't want to model. Modeling was just for Orihime's benefit. He was done with it.

* * *

Orihime woke up angry. He had been angry that he may have to apologize. To her it felt like he must think she should just be over his indiscretion and that she should sweep it under the rug. She decided she needed another day to work out how she felt. Unless he insisted, she was planning on going into school and getting some work done.

Quin was coming out of a class as she walked into her studio. "Hey, it's weird seeing you here. What are you up to?"

"Um, just came to get some work done. I don't think sitting around and doing nothing is helping me sort out my feelings," she said, stabbing some fabric with a needle.

"Yikes. By the way, I felt your little patty-cake thing with Ulq last night. I am guessing you didn't kiss and make up?"

Orihime rolled her eyes. "I brought up what you said about the bank teller and he got all pissed off. Apparently he's mad that I'm not over it or whatever."

Uryu scoffed. "I'd be pissed if I were you."

"I know, right?"

"Why does he think he's justified?"

Orihime didn't say anything at first. She kept her head down and stitched aggressively.

"Hime?"

"What?" she snapped.

"Is there a reason he thinks he's justified?"

"Well, I suppose so, but it's bullshit."

"Explain," the quincy demanded.

Orihime groaned and looked up, rolling her eyes. "I told him before I left for Sado Island that maybe he should go fall in love with somebody else because he had said he wasn't sure if he loved me or if he was just obsessed with me because I am "like a drug" for him," she spat, employing air quotes. "But I never expected him to actually do it, especially not so soon. And especially not with some _bank teller _. I mean, how am I supposed to believe he cares about me after he did something like that?"

Uryu raised his brows and whistled lowly. "Good luck with that, Boo. I'm not touching it."

"Thanks a lot," Orihime deadpanned as he left the room.

* * *

Yui set him off. She called him. She started talking about them hooking up since he was on the market again. Something about bank tellers and fat redheads. Ulquiorra got pissed off. He wasn't touching anything Kurosaki stuck his dick in. He hung up absolutely livid.

Might as well burn more bridges.

_ \- Get over here. Let's talk about this NOW._

It was sent to his ex-girlfriend.

Orihime read the message and set it aside while she finished the line of stitches she was working on. It would take about ten minutes, uninterrupted.

The same message was sent to Orihime every two minutes. He knew where she was. She hadn't moved.

_\- Get here or I'm coming there. You want to do this, let's do it. I'm ready._

_I don't know if I am. Are you really ready?_

_\- Ten more minutes. Move or I'm going to be there and we'll have ourselves a knock down drag out fight._

Orihime didn't text him back. She huffed and puffed as she put her things away and then started walking toward the train station. It was going to take a lot longer than ten minutes to get there, but he'd know she was on her way. Her spiritual pressure was prickly.

It seemed that Orihime was in rare form. He could feel the anger in her reiatsu. It was thick and he knew that if she lashed out with it, it would probably be a more yellow than gold color. He knew his spiritual pressure changed colors with his emotions. He pulled himself up on the counter in his kitchen and waited. He was going to wait for her there.

It took her ten minutes to walk from Bunka Fashion College to Shinjuku Station, and then another ten minutes to walk her way to the platform and wait to board the train to Koenji. Another six minutes on the train and another eight minutes walk from Koenji Station and she was looking at Ulquiorra's building.

Shit.

She was already tired. She didn't want to walk up those steps. She decided to make her displeasure known.

_Fucking stairs._

Ulquiorra snorted.

_\- indeed fucking stairs. Remember?_

Orihime rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to rush up them. The first three flights were fine and then she started to slow down for the next two, and dragged until she took a break on the sixth floor.

_I do. This is bullshit. There should be a water fountain here or something._

_ \- bitch bitch bitch. I have something for you to drink when you get up here._

_I hope you're in the mood for a bitch session because by the time I get there that's what I'll be doing._

She started up the sixth floor. The seventh was okay. The eighth and ninth were slow. She took another break at the tenth floor.

Ulquiorra could feel her spiritual pressure and decided he waited long enough. Opening the door, all it took was a fraction of a second to stop where she was on the landing on the tenth floor. Wrapping his arm around her waist, it took another couple seconds to use flash step to get her to his floor. He did it quickly because he didn't want her to resist him.

"You couldn't have done that from the beginning?"

"Nah," he said. "It gave you time."

"Time for what? To think about what a self-serving ass you can be?"

"Yup. You like my self serving ass though." Ulquiorra smirked at her and the produced the bottle of wine. "For you."

"For what?" she looked at him like he had just offered her a severed head.

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow at her. "Fine, don't drink it. Want a bottle of water?" He asked turning his back to her.

"Yes, please," she said somewhat petulantly. Honestly, what had he expected? It was early in the day and he had basically blackmailed her into coming up here. She crossed her arms over chest and waited, resting her weight on her left foot.

He reached into the small fridge and pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to her. "Well, start bitching."

"Well, for starters, what's with you threatening me to come over here right this instant?"

"Because I got pissed off. Yui reminded me I was single and liked fat bank tellers," he snapped at her. "If you didn't want me to go fuck someone else why would you even say that?"

"I didn't tell you to "fuck" someone. I said you should fall in love with someone else, because then maybe you'd know that you were or weren't in love with me. I said it without consideration to my own feelings. I said it because I thought it would help you be a better person; because you said you were addicted to me and that could not be healthy. I didn't think it through. I knew it would be bad for me. I didn't really fully realize it would be a deal breaker for me."

Ulquiorra shook his head and then walked into the studio portion of the loft. "A deal breaker? If it's that why the fuck are you talking to me? Why even accept my texts or phone calls? Why fucking hug me? Why let me kiss you? Why any of this if it's a deal breaker? Are you mad because I can separate love and sex with people I have no feelings for? The only person I felt love for while having sex with is you."

"I'm not mad about that. I can't understand it! I can't reconcile it. To me, it is totally inseparable! And even if you can, in theory, separate them, how can you separate me from sex now that you know?" She stopped talking, hearing the words in her own ears made her realize her ideas weren't being communicated clearly. "To me, you going out and fucking somebody else is the same as you saying goodbye to me permanently. You didn't go through with it, so there's that. But you meant to. You wanted to! It doesn't matter whether or not you loved her. Or whether you could. If you can fuck somebody else while you love me, then that's not what I want. If you want to fuck somebody else while you love me, that's not what I want! What's to stop you in that case if we got back together? How can I trust that you won't just turn around and fuck anything that moves, because, afterall, it has nothing to do with love! You can just separate the two! How fucking convenient!"

He flopped down into his computer chair. He didn't care there was a mess on his desk. He didn't care if the computer came on to show what he'd been looking at. He trained his eyes on her. His voice was rather calm for the smirk that was plastered on his mouth. "You told me to go out and love someone else. I knew that was impossible. I did not fall in love with any other fucking human as a Hollow. It was you and only you. If you think that why are you here? Why not just write me off, Orihime?"

"Is that what you _want _me to do?"

"If that's what I wanted you to do I'd start getting these tattoos removed," he said, a flash of anger showing. He took a deep breath to calm down. He had to remain calm. "I think you said it because you were testing me. But that's just an underlying issue to everything. There's a huge blanket of problems that we have."

"That is bullshit. You had already dumped me. What was I going to test? You already had told me you didn't want to be with me. That I was no good for you. That you had told me over and over again that you'd never leave me after you did the first time and then you did. Again. Again!" she threw a fist down toward her hip. She was getting emotional already.

Ulquiorra leaned forward, putting his elbows on his thighs. He put his chin on top of his fists. "I know I did. Circumstances change. I could not be with you while having a mental breakdown. That's what caused this breakup this time. I know now that I do love you. It's not merely addiction that fuels what I feel for you. That was real love. That is something I cannot feel for anyone else."

Orihime rolled her eyes. "Oh, _super _. So what happens the next time you have stress in your life? You have another breakdown and blame me again? Run away and find another bank teller or hair stylist and then get a tattoo and… what then?"

"What the fuck do you want me to say? What do you want me to do? Dying and then coming back to life is a bit traumatic! Dealing with these powers has been overwhelming. The fact that I could tell when you fucking got back from where the fuck ever you were is disturbing to me. Someone that forgot all about having such powers. Get fucking over yourself Orihime. I have problems and I've learned how to cope with them. When I learned how to deal with it you were not around. If I am going to tear my life apart while having a breakdown I'm not going to pull you along for the ride!" Ulquiorra yelled. He stood up, his spiritual pressure spiking. Anger bristled up his spine. "I asked you the other night if you were done with me. Are you done now?"

"Do I look done to you!? I'm just getting started! You get over your fucking self! You do not corner the market on trauma. You are not the first person on earth to have seen and experienced some shit. You think I should just let you treat me like trash; just let you crumple me up and throw me away as many times as you want, and I should just accept it because poor Ulquiorra can't be expected to take anyone else's feelings into consideration but his own. Is that what you think?"

"If that's what you want to think, then think that. I told you the other night when you called me drunk that I was the idiot. I was the moron. I'm the asshole. I've thought and I've thought and I've done nothing but think of you and what we had. I ruined it, I know that. I am aware of this. If I begged you to take me back there's a problem. You would never trust me. I've broken all the trust you had for me. I did it the first time. I put it back together carefully like a broken mirror. This time I could do the same thing but you're still gonna see the cracks in that motherfucking reflection and it's always going to remind you of what I did." Ulquiorra took a breath from his rant. He started pacing the floor in front of her.

"I know what I did wrong. I took you for granted. I didn't give you enough of myself. I thought the orgasms were enough for us. I took and took from you. That's not fair to you. I did the minimal stuff for our relationship to work. It wasn't a relationship. It was more like an ownership. Being in love with someone means you want a partnership with them. Both of the times we got together..." He trailed off, not knowing where to go next.

His admission stung. She didn't remember the conversation when she was drunk. She was speechless for a long while. She finally sat on the hardwood floor and hung her head. "I never thought I owned you," she finally said.

"Really? You told me to go fall in love with someone else and when I decide to explore an avenue that could lead to that, you get fucking pissed off about it."

"You waited all of what, two and a half weeks? Of course I was pissed. You could at least mourn our relationship a little while before you went on the _bigger _and better things."

Ulquiorra nodded. She didn't remember a fucking word either of them said the night she drunk dialed him. "Six years. Two of those years were spent being dead and just floating around I guess. I have no clue because no one will tell me a damn thing. Four of those years I spent trying to replace you; trying to feel something for one of those nameless women only for it to come back to you."

"That makes it even worse. Can't you see that?"

"I know it makes it worse! I'm aware that it makes it worse! I was hurting. I know; I'm giving you fucking excuse after excuse! I've fucking apologized. I know what I did wrong. Do you want me to beg? Tell me what you want because I'm at the point where I don't know what to do Orihime. I don't know how to fix this. Being friends and building a relationship again won't work. You don't trust me. Making excuses about my mental state are just that; excuses. If I say I love you, you don't care."

"I _do _care! That's why I'm here! That's why I haven't given up! I fucking love you Ulquiorra!" Tears were making it to hard for her to see and were changing the sound of her voice. "I never stopped loving you. I never doubted that I loved you. I never mistook my passion for you as ownership or obsession. I'm fucking hurt," she took a break because she had to calm down. Her emotions were screaming in her head too loud to think in words anymore. She just tried to breathe.

Ulquiorra sat down across from her on the floor, his hands hiding his face. He was on the brink of crying. He never cried. "We're both hurting," he said, his voice tight. "We both hurt each other and didn't realize it."

She sat looking at the space in front of her feet, breathing shallowly with her mouth open. "How did I hurt you, Ulquiorra?" Her voice sounded somewhat hollow. She was trying to separate her reactionary emotions from her ability to listen without judgment. It was not going to be easy. She was putting some effort into the exercise.

"You really want to know?"

"Yes."

He ran his hands through his hair, still looking at his lap. "Kurosaki. "Let's keep him around because he can help". Fuck helping. Every time he came around or was mentioned or I had to be in his vicinity…" Ulquiorra shook his head. "Hearing him say what he said about you. Knowing he set Grimmjow on me… Kurosaki murdered me. He didn't believe in you. He says he came to rescue you but he thought you were a traitor until I told him differently. He doubted you. Yet, you still believed in him to a point. We could have found Urahara's place without his help."

Orihime swallowed hard. When Ulquiorra first started to explain how this affected him, she fought hard not to argue. The impulse to fight him on this was strong. It hadn't been her fault! Why did he blame her?!

_But._

But this time she listened. _This time. _ This time she heard his _entire _thought. This time she let his wounds pierce her soul.

They _hadn't _needed Ichigo's help to find Urahara's place. She had relied on the shinigami needlessly. If she had never asked him, the whole situation with Grimmjow may have never even come to pass.

Ulquiorra was right that Ichigo didn't respect her. He didn't respect Ulquiorra. He certainly never respected their relationship.

But the worst part was that Ichigo_ had _killed him, and she had subjected Ulquiorra to situations that involved the shinigami repeatedly. To make matters worse,she had expected Ulquiorra to interact with his killer as if it had been nothing. As if he should have just _gotten over it _. As if his feelings and fears and terrifying memories didn't matter.

_As if Ulquiorra didn't matter. _

"I'm sorry." She could barely say it. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She couldn't breathe through her nose anymore.

This is what he had meant. He was right. She _had _invalidated his feelings. She had refused to take who he was into consideration. The him from before. The him now. She had fetishized the memory of the fourth Espada and trivialized its importance in his life now. She had disregarded his feelings as if they were inferior over and over again.

"I'm sorry," she said. "You're right. I didn't listen."

Looking up at her, Ulquiorra didn't hide the tears coming down his face. "Having him defeat me again..." He paused trying to gather his thoughts. "Grimmjow stalking me was the beginning of the whole thing. I couldn't take the pressure of his reiatsu. I couldn't take my death and rebirth. I couldn't take the new powers when I had accepted I had none. I couldn't take in Kurosaki's words. I couldn't take the defeat. After I pushed you away from me, I had my mental breakdown. I'm still experiencing it. I've not painted a single damn thing. I've got nothing. My show is in a week because Hirano somehow talked the gallery owner into rescheduling the show instead of me just cancelling." The laugh that followed was somewhat bitter. "I don't have you and I can barely function. I contemplate doing drugs or drinking. I don't." He was rambling again.

After he trailed off, she sat in silence for awhile, eventually letting her eyes trail off to the floor again. They had reached a partial understanding. She thought she understood what she had done. He seemed to know some of what he did wrong. He didn't seem to understand how much, though. Perhaps he was too hurt to allow her pain to affect him. "Was there anything else?"

A nod. "You telling me to find someone else to love. I needed a break from us. It wasn't a breakup, at least not in my eyes. I needed a couple of days or weeks to get myself sorted out."

She let those words sink in before she responded. This point confused her, but she didn't want to turn the tables on him until he had had his say. "Anything else?"

"I don't know right now. I'm too emotional to think logically." It was the truth. "Oh, wait, Quin. The whole thing with Quin and your fucked up relationship. That still bothers me. I know he's gay but still, It's hard for me to accept it. You did the same thing. You two fooled around and sure you love each other but it's so fucking twisted. At one point I think you loved him romantically."

"That's not true," she said, lying down on her side with her head resting on her outstretched arm. It felt too heavy to keep upright. "It was never romantic. We were just afraid of being alone." She took a deep breath. "I completely misinterpreted the break up… Break. You have to understand though, from my perspective, you were just rejecting me. You were so angry when you did it. The last time I was here, you looked at me as if I meant nothing to you and told me to leave. You told me you'd never leave my side and then you rejected me. I couldn't accept it. My mind couldn't take it when my heart was crumbling. I was being left behind. Again. As always. I couldn't..."

Ulquiorra scooted closer to Orihime. "I know what I said, Orihime. I remember saying that to you. But look around. Karma has kicked my ass. No you. No muse. All pain."

"Seeing you hurt does not bring me satisfaction," she said and sighed, rolling onto her back and laying her forearm over her eyes. He didn't understand her. "Why?"

"Why what?" He asked. "I know you're not a cruel person. I understand where you're coming from. I had to make you believe me. I went about it the wrong way. I love you. I miss you," he stopped talking as his voice broke. He felt so vulnerable and weak right now. "You don't have to take me back. You don't even have to be my friend. I just want you to know that I understand what you're saying. I know I did wrong. I know I fucked up. Although we've hurt each other, we still love each other."

She groaned. "Do you understand? I don't want karma or anything else to kick your ass. I want you to feel what I felt. I want you to look me in the eye and tell me it hurt you as much as it hurt me. The way you decided on your own and threw me out without a proper explanation; what else was I supposed to think but that you didn't want me anymore? That the power I gave to you and the life I restored to you weren't good enough. That _I _wasn't good enough? I have never been good enough for anyone-" she wasn't just talking to him now, in part. She was talking to a lot of people from her past. "I wasn't good enough for Kurosaki. For Rukia. For Urahara. For Quin. For Tatsuki. For Aizen. For my parents. And then I wasn't good enough for you, Ulquiorra." She buried her face into her elbow and curled her knees into her chest as she allowed the ever-present, but usually suppressed, feeling of worthlessness to surface again and swallow her.

"Woman." Ulquiorra didn't know how to respond to this. He wanted to gather her up in his arms and tell her that she was too good for him. He swallowed trying not to let his emotions overwhelm him. Carefully, he got up, stepped over her then laid down beside Orihime, letting his body spoon hers. He was silent as he laid there. Minutes passed. "Orihime. I didn't understand what was going on. I just knew I was scared and it hurt. How many times do I have to say I love you? How many times do I have to tell you I'm sorry? I told you on the phone the other night that if I were to get like this again, I would talk it out with you instead of pushing you away. We're connected. You're too good for me but I still want you. I want to be around you. I want to love you even more than I do now." His words were gentle and spoken in a soft voice. Ulquiorra put his arm over her.

She touched his knuckles with her fingertips and let a loud cry come past her lips; the anguish of the past several weeks making itself known, loudly, as she gave up trying to control it. She was glad he was behind her, so he couldn't see the mess her face had become. Her eyes and nose were soaked. Her eyelids and lips swollen and red and ugly. She continued to let her hurt pour out, until it hurt her head too much to do it anymore, and she was reduced to choppy, shallow mouth-breathing. When she finally felt, several minutes later, that maybe she could say something without that awful tidal wave of self-loathing taking her under again, she whispered. "You don't have to say it or tell me it anymore if you don't want to. All I know is that for the past few weeks, I thought I was worthless. I still do. And now… I'm worthless and wrong and I hurt you too. I should have never been born. My parents used to tell me that. They were right." It came back. Fuck. She screamed out and slammed the floor with an open palm. Her parents didn't have anything to do with this. This was a lifetime of self-loathing and poor self-esteem mixing in with what happened between them and coming out painfully.

After the last ring of her scream faded out and she took a few breaths, she pulled herself up so that she sat on the side of her hip, her weight supported in her palms, then turned and looked down at Ulquiorra. "This is me. I'm fucked up too. I'm sorry."

"Orihime, had you not come along, I would have gone to hell. I would have never had a chance to love anyone," Ulquiorra said as he sat up. This time, with confidence, he picked her up and held her, cradling her in his arms. "We can be fucked up together. We're both troubled souls. I will tell you that I love you as many times as you want." He let his hands cup her face, thumbs sliding over her jaw. He didn't kiss her though. He just stared at her.

She looked back at him, afraid to look away. She stared for a long time. The emotions swirling around inside of her were starting to settle a bit as she took comfort in his closeness. "I need you, Ulquiorra. I don't know if I can do this without you. I don't want to. I love you." She didn't know she was saying the words out loud, speaking the sentiments as they became clear to her and she was able to identify them.

"Woman… Woman... " Ulquiorra pressed his mouth to hers, unable to articulate what he wanted to say. The words were fleeting. Actions spoke louder than words. "I love you. I promise to give more of myself to you. I want to-" He stopped. No. Now was not the right time to say that to her. She hadn't even taken him back. "What happens now? What do you want to do?"

She couldn't think much past the next hour or so. "Right now, I just want to hold you and not let go for a very long time," she answered in a squeaky voice as tears overtook her again. She was just much too overtaken with emotion to function. She needed comfort and maybe a glass of water, if she knew what was good for her. She buried her face into his body, trying desperately to smell him. She would have to wait for her sinuses to clear for that to work. She didn't plan to let go of him until well after that happened.

"We can do that."

* * *

A/N: Phew! That was a hard chapter to write, and even now, poofreading it months later, still turned me into an emo crybaby. Do you think they've managed to do a good job in beginning to work through their issues? let us know and thanks for reading!


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31: We Follow Our Hearts**

Orihime woke up several hours later in Ulquiorra's lap in his armchair. He had fallen asleep as well as they had sat there, trying to calm down and soothe their raw emotions and frayed nerves. She moved her eyes to see that it was dark outside.

She turned her nose to his shirt. She could breathe through it now. She sniffed, closing her eyes as his scent filled her and made the places in her brain that sensed these things light up like a million stars. She had missed him so much.

She sighed softly. They still hadn't pieced themselves back together, but they had laid themselves bare. They had come clean with the hurt and wrongs that they had dealt to one another. Despite all of that, they loved each other. Everything else would work itself out, wouldn't it? She held onto that thought, cradling it to her heart. She laid her palm where his hollow hole had once been, thinking about how much she had taken for granted the incredible transformation - no - transformations, he had undertaken. Because of her. He was so much more than she had ever allowed herself to believe. She looked at his sleeping face and saw a man who was much older than his body. She had a new respect for him. How could she ever have treated him so poorly? She sighed.

She needed to use the bathroom, too. She didn't want this moment to end. She waited.

Ulquiorra shifted his legs. They felt numb but there was a weight on them. He opened his eyes to see coppery hair. His eyes closed again then opened wider. "You're still here," he said, voice practically a dry whisper. Once they both had calmed down some he had moved them to the armchair. It had been more comfortable than the floor. Since it was the place where he'd been sleeping his body decided it was a good time to take a nap. Not to mention his emotions had drained him of energy.

Orihime nodded, hand still on the base of his throat. She wasn't sure if she wanted to take the first step. They had both been very emotional. Would he feel the same way now that that had settled down and they had gotten some rest? Her eyes were searching as they found his.

His hand came up to cover hers. It was right where that black circle was. "Are you-Are you better? Are you feeling alright? Calmer?" Ulquiorra felt it was stupid to ask. They had both put each other through a grinder of emotions. "We still have much to discuss. It can wait another day though."

Orihime looked down at their hands on his chest. "I feel a bit adrift, emotionally, like the tide went out, you know?" she chuckled silently. "But that's probably for the best at the moment. I have a headache. I need to pee." She chuckled this time with voice.

He gave her a tentative smile. "Go take care of your needs. I will find the painkillers and get you some water. To be honest, I don't want you to move though. This is… It's comforting."

"I'll be right back," she said, but made no move to get up, instead laying her head on his shoulder and smelling him again, putting her other arm around the top of his shoulder. "I think tonight we should rest. Stay close. Just recover. I love you." She shook her head. It wasn't because she had changed her mind. It was just that she would never have imagined she would propose something like this a few days ago.

Ulquiorra laid his cheek against her head. The apartment was silent for several minutes while he decided on what to say. All he knew was that he loved her. She was right though. They needed to rest. They needed to recover from this and what they had done to each other. Being close to each other would be a starting point but Ulquiorra felt they had a long road ahead of them. Maybe they didn't. "I love you," he stated, wrapping his free arm around her waist.

She nodded, and let him hold her for another two minutes before she started to stir. "Alright. Alright. I'm getting up. I gotta go." She smiled apologetically as she untangled herself from him and stood, pausing for a moment as she got her balance. She looked down at the man in the chair and tilted her head, regarding him. "It's going to be alright," she said softly, then padded over to the bathroom.

Ulquiorra waited until the bathroom door was closed before he got up and moved to the kitchen. He found the bottle of headache stuff he had and got another bottle of water for Orihime. He put those on his desk and then started to clean up the mess that was there. He also shut the computer down. When she arrived he was full on planning to be an ass. Now she didn't deserve it. Orihime deserved the utmost care and love that he could give to her. Once everything was situated Ulquiorra sat back down in the armchair.

He steepled his hands and placed them in front of his mouth, thinking. Perhaps he could do what he planned to do. Maybe he should do this. How would Orihime take it? How would it affect her? The last thing he wanted to do was send her into that dark abyss of emotions again. All he wanted to do was make her happy.

Orihime came out of the bathroom and approached Ulquiorra from behind. She put her hands on his shoulders and kneaded them a bit. "What's on your mind?" she asked.

"Uh, just thinking of some ideas for my show," he said. He couldn't tell her what he was thinking, not yet. It wasn't the right time. "You really think we're going to be alright?"

She put her chin on top of his head. "If we are willing to be honest and hold on, I think so," she murmured.

Ulquiorra tilted his head up and kissed the underside of her chin and then took her hand leading her back his lap. "You've always had my honesty. I'm willing to be more open to you. "

"Mmm," she hummed her assent. "Do you think we'll be okay?"

"With some work and some compromise I think we will be okay."

She hummed her understanding, bringing her head to rest on his shoulder as they had been sitting before. She spotted the water and the painkillers on the desk, but she didn't want to move from her spot at the moment. Her mind and body craved reassurance that he was really there with her, more than it wanted hydration and pain relief.

She sat there, staring off into space for a long time. Closing her eyes and listening to his heartbeat sometimes. She almost drifted off to sleep again. "Do you want to go lie down? Not, like… you know, but just so you can be comfortable too?"

He had been quiet and watching her. "I'm fine Orihime, but if you want to go up and sleep that's fine. I'll stay down here. I need to start painting, if I can. Go ahead. I think I have a sleep shirt of yours… You know where my clothes are if you need anything."

"I'd kind of like to stay close, if you don't mind. I could stay here while you work?"

A nod from him. He had no clue if he could paint but he was going to try. Ulquiorra motioned for her to get up. After she moved off his lap he stood up and stretched. He walked over to the desk and grabbed the stuff he got for her and brought it back. "You need to take care of yourself," he said.

"Thank you," she replied, taking a couple of the tablets and washing them down with some water before curling up on the armchair with her feet under her bottom and her knees near her face, which rested on the armrest. "Do you have any inspiration now?"

Ulquiorra shook his head. "Some days I thought you rejected my artistic ability," he said as he walked over to the stack of unused canvases. He flipped through them and grabbed three of them which he carried over to the easels he'd had set up. One canvas went onto each of the stands and then he turned to the bookcase which held his paints, brushes and other art supplies. "So, uh, tell me about where you went for work."

"Um… It was very beautiful. The sea was the kind of blue that you only think is real in pictures, a kind of clear, blueish green. The beaches had this beautiful white sand and it was so soft… I spent a lot of time when I wasn't working lying under a palm tree and staring between the water and the sky. It smelled nice too. And it didn't hurt that there were tiki bars serving these sweet tropical drinks everywhere. It helped me get through the lonely parts. Which was every part when I wasn't working. The food there was really good too. And there were a lot of little markets to shop… I got you some souvenirs. I know it was stupid at the time, but I couldn't help it. I'd see something that reminded me of you and I had to get it."

A smile crossed his face as he grabbed what he needed and squirted paint onto his palette. He looked over at Orihime. "That is incredibly endearing. Thank you. I also got you some things," he admitted. Ulquiorra rolled his head, hearing his neck crack before he picked up a paintbrush.

She smiled a smile with half of her face squished into the armrest. "Why did you get me something? You didn't go anywhere," she said with a somewhat lazy expression.

Ulquiorra began to paint, using broad strokes of the brush he was holding. He paused for a moment. "Because I wanted to show you that I could be romantic. Most of the things I got you-It's silly. Don't mind me. I'm rambling."

"I'm curious. Maybe later we can have a gift exchange?" she asked and yawned. Despite having just woken up from a nap a short time ago she was feeling a bit sleepy. She nestled into the chair further. "I got myself a souvenir too. I'm not totally selfless," she added.

"You were saying something about a tattoo on the phone," Ulquiorra said. He looked over at the redhead. Was she really asleep? It appeared to be so. He stood there looking at the canvas which had thick viridian stripes going across it. He had no clue what to do next. Maybe he should have taken her up on the offer to lie down with her. She would be more comfortable in his bed rather than that armchair.

"I said something about that? Man, I cannot keep secrets," she said, opening one eye. "Did I tell you what I was going to get?"

"No you said you couldn't model a bikini with a huge red welt on your body. It makes me worried if you went to get a cheap tattoo. Who knows what the tattoo shops are like in other countries."

"Don't worry grand-dad, they are awesome. It is a gruesome tattoo though. A nude Medusa with snake hair riding a narwhal over a shooting star with a basket full of puppies. It's epic."

His brow furrowed as he looked over at her with a stern expression. "You'll regret it in a couple of years," he stated. Ulquiorra shook his head and turned back to the canvas. He mixed some yellow and a light brown color together to make a golden color. He moved the brush and placed six golden crescents on the surface. "It's probably cool looking though."

"Oh it is. The one of Thor dropping a hammer on my buttcheek was a mistake, though," she said as if she truly regretted it.

"WHAT?"

"Gotcha," she said with a small chuckle. "No mythical tattoos for me. Only personal stuff."

His features smoothed out but his mouth was still a thin line. "So?" he asked. "Are you going to show me?"

"Someday," she said with a smile. "Hopefully soon. I like your hair, by the way. I liked it before but this is nice, too."

Hearing that sent a jolt of desire down his spine. Did she mean that the tattoo she had gotten was in a place like the last one? He swallowed, shaking off the lust coursing through his body. They had other things to work out before that. "Thanks. I was going to shave it all off."

She raised her eyebrows. "Why?"

"You said you always liked my hair. You were constantly playing with it or had your hands in it. I think it was one of my defining features as an arrancar. It was one of my trademarks as an artist and model. I thought if I shaved it off, I would get over you faster. Dumb logic I know. The hair stylist told me that I shouldn't shave it, just get a shorter cut."

"I'm glad she did," she said and then grew quiet. She was relieved that the rift between then seemed to be healing, but she still felt like there was something she needed to do; an olive branch she needed to offer him. Then she remembered, she had already; he just didn't know. "Um, I never had a chance to tell you, but while we were separated, Kurosaki kept trying to contact me. It was just his typical weak harassment, but I ended up blocking his number."

Ulquiorra was silent for a while as he worked on the painting and after twenty minutes passed, he sighed. "It's always him," he said. "Kurosaki let his little guard dog loose on me. He defeated me again. He said he wouldn't kill me because then you wouldn't sleep with him. "

"Shows how much he knows. His little plans didn't quite work out for him. He has no way to contact me and I'm here at your place, so he loses."

"You need him though," Ulquiorra stated. He took a deep breath and turned from Orihime, exhaling. He had to remain calm. Getting angry would solve nothing. "Whatever ties you have to him need to be cut before we commit to each other again. I don't want to hear about him. I don't want to see him. I don't even want to feel his spiritual pressure."

She was confused about the last part. "Do you want me to kill him? I don't think I can do that…" she whispered. Of course that's not what he wanted, right? Oh. Ohhhh… Maybe? Orihime got up and went to her purse. There was a small cloth coin pouch inside. She plucked it out and brought it over to Ulquiorra. "Destroy them."

Ulquiorra turned, looked at the pouch and then at her. He shook his head. He could see the vague outline of the hairpins and their six points. "Sora gave those to you. He died shortly afterward. I remember that from the file. They're how you have your powers. Why would I destroy them? What I am trying to say Orihime is I need you to stop relying on Kurosaki."

"I won't. I don't. I know I did, but I won't. But I would free Aizen and ask him for help in order to save you if I couldn't. I hope you understand what I mean."

The artist sat the palette and the brush down before he grabbed Orihime by the waist. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. Her reply to his declaration was enough for him. It was a compromise. "Only if I am dying can you use his assistance, okay? I'll make that allowance."

She smiled in relief and nodded. She hugged him back. "Okay."

"Will you go upstairs and sleep now? I'm almost done with this I think..." Ulquiorra stepped back from her and looked at the painting with a frown.

Orihime looked at the canvas. "What is it?"

There were four wide bands of green streaked across the canvas with six golden yellow crescent shaped looking birds randomly placed on it. Ulquiorra kept frowning. "I think it's supposed to be us. Green for me. The yellow for you."

She smiled at it. "You're not sure? You don't sound sure." She turned her smile toward him. "It's pretty."

"I guess. Nothing is coming out the way I want. Ever since I woke up with Kurosaki and Ishida staring at me… No… it was after that. After I pushed you away," Ulquiorra sighed, throwing a drop cloth over the paint palette. "Maybe I'm tired and need actual sleep instead of naps."

"I know I can't work without proper sleep. Maybe you're right. I'll use the restroom and go upstairs then, okay?"

Ulquiorra watched her for a minute before he turned out lights and then grabbed his phone from where it had been sitting on his desk. He used that shinigami trick to transport him to the loft while she was in the bathroom. He shed his clothing, changing into a short-sleeved t-shirt and a pair of sweats. It wouldn't do to freak her out.

Then he looked at his bed.

Ever since Orihime came into his life, he had to pick a side instead of laying in the middle of the big bed. He looked at the piece of furniture and then went over to what he considered his side of the bed, laying on top of the blanket. If Orihime came up to lay down with him, it would be fine. If she decided she didn't want to stay with him, that would be okay too.

She came up the ladder after taking another drink of water, seeing Ulquiorra already in bed. "Are you sure you're okay letting me stay here?" She said, putting her knee on the vacant side of the bed." She was still dressed in her clothes.

"Why wouldn't I be okay with it?" He asked, giving her a side eyed glance. "We're just sleeping. If you're uncomfortable with it, you're free to go but I don't want you to leave."

She smiled and shook her head, deciding not to argue needlessly, and pulled the covers back. "I don't want to leave. Recover. Stay close. I meant it." She laid down and covered herself with the sheet and blanket.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you want a t-shirt or something else to sleep in?"

"I'm com- Yeah, I don't have anything else to wear tomorrow. I'll get it," she said, getting up and going to his drawer for a t-shirt and pair of boxer briefs. She checked to make sure he wasn't looking before changing.

Ulquiorra was looking at his phone, making sure the device was blocking the view of her. He was just scrolling through some news site. He then turned his back to her. She needed privacy. "Do you have anything you need to do tomorrow? Do you need an alarm set or anything?"

She waited until her face was through the t-shirt hole to answer. "No, I have nothing," she answered, crawling back into bed and pulling the covers up to her chin. It was much cooler dressed this way.

After she had settled in, she turned her head toward him. "Ulquiorra?"

He still had his back to her. "Hmmm? Yes, Woman?" His green eyes were fixed on the stack of books he had sitting on the bedside table.

"Thank you."

"For what?" He finally put his phone down and turned to face her. "Can I get under the blanket too or is that too soon?"

A small smile was his response, until she tugged at the covers indicating that he should join her. "For everything. For you. For telling me. For listening." A tear slipped out of the eye that was not squished into the pillow and she reached out to hold his hand. "Just thank you."

When he got under the covers, Ulquiorra slid across the bed so that he was closer to her, letting his fingers intertwine with hers. "Don't cry," he murmured to her.

She blinked it away and nodded, closing her eyes. "Okay." She gave his hand a light squeeze and infused a bit of spiritual pressure into the connection.

He closed his eyes letting that energy move through him. Ulquiorra wondered if she would ever understand what that did to him. "Orihime. Please," he said.

"Hmm?" She didn't open her eyelids. They were too heavy.

"Nothing, we can talk about it tomorrow."

* * *

Orihime woke up very early, but quickly fell back to sleep and did not wake up again until late morning. She had not yet adjusted back to the two hour time difference nor had she fully recovered from the emotional decathlon she and Ulquiorra had run the day before the first time she had woken. The second time, she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

Ulquiorra wasn't in bed. She stretched and tried to sense his spiritual pressure, and found nothing. "Ulquiorra?" she called out after a few minutes.

He woke up hungry. This new found spiritual pressure made him eat more than he was used to eating. The only places open in the morning were fast food places and corner stores. Ulquiorra had gone for the fast food. It wasn't healthy but he hadn't eaten since he went to get the refrigerated meals… How long ago was that? He was on his way back to the loft when he felt Orihime's spiritual pressure spike. He decided to text her because he had no clue how food traveled using flash step. Knowing his luck everything would be smashed.

\- Went to get food. Almost back. I got enough to feed an army. I didn't know what you'd like. Love you.

She sighed happily as she read his message and laughed as her stomach rumbled. She was starving.

\- Love you, too.

She got out of bed and looked at herself in the mirror. She decided she had better change before he came back. She didn't want to wear what she had been wearing, though. She wanted to keep smelling him. She didn't want to wear a bra. She opened his closet and pulled out out a hoodie, putting it on over the t-shirt she borrowed, then put her jeans back on and climbed down the ladder barefoot.

It took him ten minutes to get to his building and climb the stairs. By the time he reached the top floor, he was huffing. Ulquiorra took another two minutes to catch his breath before he opened the door to the loft. "I'm back!" he said as he toed off his shoes before walking to the counter and placing the three bags of food he'd bought there.

Orihime trotted into the kitchen area, equally drawn by his voice and the smell of the food. "Oh my god, I'm so hungry," she moaned, staring at the bags. Then she remembered her manners. "Good morning," she said and dragged her eyes away from the food, smiling. "I love you. Thanks for breakfast."

Ulquiorra looked her over and smiled. She was wearing his hoodie. He could bet she was still wearing his shirt. He abandoned the bags and walked the few steps over to her. "Morning," he said sliding his hands through her hair and briefly kissing her. He probably shouldn't have done that but whatever. He was trying to be different for her. "Uh, I didn't know what you liked so I kind of got an entire bag of fries and then an assortment of sandwiches."

She blushed and kind of forgot what she was there for after he kissed her. Then she breathed and remembered. "Let's just jump in like farm animals, shall we?"

"Heh," he chuckled. Ulquiorra kind of liked her reaction. He wanted to keep kissing her. "Sure," he said, handing her one of the bags and grabbing the other two. "Let's eat in the studio."

She opened the bag as she walked after him, mouth watering. "I am a happy girl. I'm going to be happier in a minute, I see," she murmured to the sandwiches. "I call this one," she said, setting the bag on his desk and pulling out a chicken sandwich.

"Which one is that?" he asked, pulling out a thing of fries.

"Chicken," she said in a muffled voice, having already bit into it.

Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes at her. "Which chicken sandwich? There was one that looked really good so I ordered it," he said.

"Fine, we can share…" she said in a melancholy voice, separating her mouth from the item and holding it out to him.

He shook his head. "No, you can have it. I don't think that's the sandwich I wanted. Oh well." He grabbed a sandwich out of the bag and read it. Teriyaki burger. Hmmm, he thought. He unwrapped it and looked at the thing. It didn't look appealing but it was food. "The big mac is mine."

"Have at it, those are gross," she giggled and bit into the chicken one again, closing her eyes and smiling as she chewed.

"They are not," he said shielding his mouth because he had taken a bite of the sandwich. Talking with a mouthful of food was gross. "The ones with double meat on them are disgusting."

She swallowed and opened her eyes. "I just don't like the sauce and the extra slab of bread. I like the tsuki-mi burger with the egg on it. That is not in - wait, it is in season. Did you get one?"

"Yeah," he said. Once again his mouth had food in it. This time he was eating fries. "I was going to eat it. Did you want it?"

"Share?" she proposed with her fist in front of her full mouth.

Again he shook his head. "There should be enough food here for the rest of the day. I'm going to eat the fries, this burger which isn't very good and the big mac. That should be enough until later."

"No. If you have never tried the tsuki-mi I insist you try it. Give me the teri-burger. You have the tsuki-mi while it's hot. You won't have another chance until next year, probably."

"No. I just got this stuff because it was fast and convenient. I didn't want to go to the store and I didn't want to cook," Ulquiorra said. He handed over the burger though and went looking through the sacks for the boxed burger. When he first came to live in Koenji, the novelist took him to get one of these. Ulquiorra wanted one every day until another tenant told him the low down dirty facts about the double decker sandwich. "Yum. It's a been a while since I've had any fast food."

"Same," she said. Her hunger was not quite as frantic as it had been before the chicken sandwich, and she still had a bite left. She ate it and waited for Ulquiorra to surface from his feeding frenzy.

Twenty minutes, a Big Mac, and fries later, he was laying on the floor absolutely miserable. "I ate too much," he groaned.

"It will subside. I told you that extra slab of bread is no good, though," she teased gently. "Keep your belly warm. It helps, I swear," she said, unzipping the hoodie and folding it to lay over his abdomen. "There. I'm going to go get decent. You lie there and suffer like a proper glutton," she said, but kissed his forehead before getting back up.

"No," he said, grabbing her hand. "You are decent. What's so-Oh." His gaze had dropped to her chest and he saw her breast freely moving. Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. Ulquiorra glanced at her face and then back to where he had been staring. "You're fine like that."

She saw his reaction. "I may be fine like this, but I don't know if you are," she laughed with a tinge of embarrassment. She should have anticipated this.

He let his hand drop, embarrassed by himself. "Sorry," he replied. Ulquiorra handed her back the hoodie. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, I mean… We'd have bigger problems if you were disinterested. I'll get another one." She put the hoodie back over his belly and got up quickly. "What do you have planned today?" she asked as she climbed the ladder.

Ulquiorra was not going to let her get away that easy. He flash stepped up to the loft and stood by the ladder. When Orihime got to the top he pulled her to him. His hormones were overruling all logic at the moment. "Just one touch?" He asked, looking at her then biting his lip. "Over the shirt of course."

She laughed once and nodded, putting her hands on her hips. He sounded like a handsy toddler - one of Markus' stylists often brought a three-year-old with her to work until his grandmother could pick him up. He had often asked to squeeze her "boo-boos".

His teeth sank deeper into his lip as he lifted his hands up to her chest. It had been weeks since he touched her. If all he was going to get was one touch, he was going to draw it out. His thumb helped cup her tits and he slowly let them glide up and over her nipples. His breath was a sharp gasp, feeling her body respond. He could feel her nipples against the palms of his hands. The moment he felt them he disappeared. He had used that trick again but it was for a reason. He had to get away from her. That had been a mistake to touch her.

He looked up at her from the studio floor. "I'm sorry. It's nothing you did… You're right I'm not fine with it right now. Maybe in a couple of weeks. I'm gonna go have a cigarette. Take your time," Ulquiorra said it in a rush before he walked out of her sight.

She shook her head and called after him, "I get it, see you soon."

Leaving the loft, Ulquiorra practically ran down to the first floor. He had no cigarettes on him so he hoped that one of his neighbors would be out there. He was in luck.

"Hey, Novelist."

"Hey Big Shot Model," the man replied with a smile. "Heard some yelling last night. Things okay in Casa Murcielago?"

"Yeah," Ulquiorra said, leaning against the building. He had calmed down on his way down the stairs. "Um, can I get-"

"Sure man, sure." The Novelist produced a pack of cigarettes from his pocket of his jacket. "Another conquest?"

He shook his head. "No, that was Inoue and I hashing our differences out. You were right. I needed to give her more than orgasms. I needed to be more open." Ulquiorra lit the thing and took a drag, his hands shaking slightly.

He missed the look on the man's face. "Ah, so still single?"

This time Ulquiorra shrugged. "I'm not really sure. Yes but no? It's probably going to start off slow like it did the last time. I mean fuck-I can't touch her without wanting to-"

"It's cool. I know how that feels. My wife and I split up a couple of times before the big one. It was always the same thing. The hormones wrap you up and spit you out again," the writer said. "Probably good that you're going to wait. When did she leave?"

"She hasn't."

"Oh?"

Ulquiorra took another hit from the cigarette and blew the smoke out of his nose. "She needed me last night. I needed her. We fell asleep together. I woke up ready to get to work. It's amazing what a good night's sleep will do to you."

The other man nodded. "Speaking of work, I've got to head inside and get writing. Don't worry about you and Inoue. It'll all be fine, you'll see."

Again, Ulquiorra was too busy looking at his shaking hands to notice the man's expression. All he heard was his neighbor's words. "Thanks man, I'll buy you a beer soon," he stated as The Novelist walked into the building.

Ulquiorra pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped his messages.

\- You do things to me. Your touch, your gaze, your body, your spiritual pressure… Everything about you turns me on. I'm speaking from the aspect of lust. That lust has developed into this deep seated desire for you. Where do we go from here?

He sent it to Orihime, hands still shaking.

She sighed and smiled when she read his message.

\- I know. I lust for you, too, you know. You and I need to only keep it in check until we've worked through whatever we need to work through. If we can get to a place of… I dunno, some kind of trust that isn't fleeting, I think we won't have to look back. That's my hope, I guess. You?

Ulquiorra had finished his smoke and was walking back up to the loft when he got her message. It brought a semi-smile to his face.

\- Those are agreeable terms. You're absolutely correct. It's only me that needs to keep it in check. I'm giving myself false hope.

She laughed. He had no idea how much she wanted him.

\- Hahaha. You're a funny guy, Cifer. I needed to take a cold shower after you left.

She thought some more. She was going to send another text, but she decided to say the rest in person.

He smirked at that text he got and shook his head. She was obviously flattering him. Ulquiorra opened the door quietly and removed his shoes before he walked over to his desk and pulled stuff out of his pockets. He didn't plan on going anywhere else that day.

"Tummy any better?" she called down from the loft. "When I used to smoke it usually settled my stomach."

Ulquiorra turned around and his eyes darted up to the area above his head. "Yeah the trek up and down the stairs helped," he said in reply. "Are you decent now?"

"I'm back in the hoodie, so yes. I wanted to tell you something and I don't know how to say it well, so I'm just going to say it, and you can tell me if it's confusing and I'll try to clear it up, okay?"

"Okay, what is it?"

"Any hope you have isn't false. I love you. I intend to make this work. I don't intend to fail. I know we might, but hope is all we have. It's not false. That's it."

Ulquiorra looked up at her with a deathly serious face. He swallowed the nervousness he had bubbling in his throat. "So I was not wrong in my assumption we are back together? We're just taking this slow, correct?"

She contemplated what he said. She hadn't thought about it in such terms before. "I mean, if someone asked me today if you are my boyfriend, I wouldn't know what to say. But if someone asked if I was… unattached, I would say no. I guess that means… I don't know if there is a normal way to say it but I am committed to you. My heart belongs to you. It always has. It's just a matter of finding our way back? That's how I feel, anyway," she admitted, then looked down at her hands. He might not agree, she realized, taking a deep breath and holding it a moment before letting it go.

Using flash step to get to her was probably not a good idea. He didn't want to alarm Orihime. He calmly walked over to the ladder and climbed it. When he was standing at the top, he looked at the redhead. The urge to kiss her and corral her towards the bed was bordering on overwhelming. "I am your boyfriend, Orihime. My heart belongs to you. We are partners."

She started nodding and then she couldn't stop, and her lip started quivering. "I should have trusted you more. I should have listened. None of this would have happened." Her tears came too easily now. It seemed to her that once that dam of emotions burst yesterday, it was far too easy for it to leak ever since.

"Come here, Orihime. Please."

She stepped toward him until she was standing right in front of him, looking directly at his throat.

He reached a hand out, letting it rest against where her heart was. "I asked you years ago what is a heart. I know the answer to that now. You are. You've always been my heart. I should have had more faith in myself that we both could weather my breakdown. I should have had more faith in us. We're going to take this slow. And we're going to do this right, this time."

She mirrored his action after a moment of silence. "How do we do that?" she asked with a little lilt, hoping that maybe he miraculous answer. She may have been human longer, but they had exactly the same amount of relationship experience. Actually, maybe he had more.

"I was kind of hoping you knew but… we've both have not had a lot of romantic experience," he answered. Ulquiorra sighed. "We follow our hearts. We follow our instincts. We talk. We communicate."

'I can do that," she said, her hand sliding up to the back of his neck and pulling him down so she could hug him. She held him tightly and kissed his cheek. "I can do this."

His head was buried in the crook of her neck. He tried to be good. The smell of her skin and her warmth was all it took for him to kiss the column of her throat. He slid his face up near her ear, drawing the lobe into his mouth and gently biting it. "Maybe… Perhaps... " Ulquiorra's breath was ragged.

She didn't know if this was a good idea. "Communicate. Maybe what? What and why?"

"I know you want to spend time with me but this is going to keep happening. Maybe we should spend the rest of the day apart? I don't want to but dammit Orihime," Ulquiorra said as he straightened up. "I just want to touch you."

"I know. Maybe this is what we need to talk about. "Why?" Not just like, because it feels good and because my body wants to, because, duh. Of course," she said good-naturedly. "But why does it feel so necessary? Why does it feel so right? Why does it only feel that way when it's you and me?"

He looked at her and then shifted his eyes to the side. "I know why I want to touch you constantly. I want to make up for all those who came before you. I want your voice and taste and touch seared into my memory so that I can't forget it. I want to make you feel loved and happy. I want to make you feel good."

"Okay. What else, though? Look deeper." She was making a mental list of her own.

"I love you." Ulquiorra appeared confused. He didn't know what she wanted him to say. All he knew was what he felt. "I want to touch you and be near you because I love you."

She smiled. "I love you. That's the overarching gist of it, isn't it? I never want to forget you. Did you know, I stole some of your soap before I returned it to you? Because I was I was afraid I'd forget what you smell like." She paused and took a deep breath on his neck.

He chuckled. "I thought the bottles I got back were emptier than what they should have been. Woman, you're-" Ulquiorra curled his hands into fists to keep from kissing her. "I have pictures of you. I have video of you on my phone. Nothing bad. Just you talking or smiling. I have all kinds of pictures of you on my computer. Whatever I found on the internet I saved. That is what made me worry about the obsession thing. I constantly think of you. I still don't think this need to touch you is healthy but it's love to me. Just a simple touch… I'm not being clear."

"No, you're not," she shook her head once. "But do you feel it too? The physical ache of being separated? It hurts. Not just emotionally. It physically hurts."

"I felt it. That's why I got the tattoo. I guess what I am trying to say is that by touching you, I can tell you more than saying it," he explained. "We all know I'm not good with talking about shit like that. Yes, more often than not, I touch you in an explicit way but it's also when I touch your hand, move some hair away from your face, or hug you."

She frowned a bit. "Maybe that's what causes misunderstandings though. I can interpret your touch however I want. Your intentions don't come through unless you say them, sadly. I thought before that when you touched me that it meant more than it did. Especially in the beginning. A hug could be for soothing purposes or supportive purposes or to say goodbye. They all feel the same without a specified intention."

Ulquiorra nodded. "I realized that. That's why I said we need to communicate. I'm still going to touch you though," he said.

"Well I should hope so," she laughed and looked up at his face. He didn't get it. Maybe he needed some time for it to sink in. "So you want me to go, then?"

This time he sighed. "I don't want you to but I think we need to reflect on what's happened. We both need to time to think," Ulquiorra said. He needed time to wrap his head around all of this. The past six weeks had been a rollercoaster of emotions and events. "Just a couple of hours, okay? Maybe tonight we could hang out or something."

"It's okay. Take the time you need to take. I'm not going anywhere," she smirked. "Well, I'm going home but I'm not going anywhere until next weekend. You have time." She looked down and then popped her head back up. "Oh, I'm keeping these for now. I don't usually steal clothes but I want this."

"It's fine." He had the biggest smile on his face now.

* * *

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	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32: A Proposal**

He told himself that when she left he would paint. Ulquiorra stood in front of those canvases and waited for inspiration. His muse was being a bitch. She had gone, leaving a note saying, "BBIAB ASSHOLE". That was fine. His muse often disappeared… The problem was he had a week until his show and he had nothing except for one fucking disaster of a painting.

A sigh left him. Maybe his time as an artist was done. Maybe he had his time at the top.

He sent Hirano a text, telling her to cancel the show. Of course, the woman texted him back, basically telling him to shut the hell up and grow a set. Then he got a call from downstairs. Packages had arrived for him.

Ulquiorra was nervous as he left the apartment and walked down those flights of stairs. He signed for both boxes and took them back upstairs. The first one contained a special surprise for the redhead. The other had those decadent chocolates… He decided to save the chocolates for later. He had something else in mind.

Something more fitting to the occasion.

It didn't take long to find that wine shop again. There was a confectionary shop right next to it. They had what he was looking for and Ulquiorra paid for the treats with a smile on his face.

Walking back to the train station, Ulquiorra texted Orihime. He had plans for their reuniting. He wanted to make her feel special and loved. He wanted to show her the romance she deserved. So as he walked the pavement with the bags in his arms, he texted her.

\- _What's your favorite flower?_

Orihime was at home, painting her nails when she got his message. It was a cute question.

_Hard decision. In spring, peonies. In summer, hydrangea. In autumn, dahlias. In winter, chrysanthemum. Is that a decent answer, lol?_

He smiled. She had to give him multiple answers, didn't she?

_\- I'll see what the florist has. Would roses work? Too overdone?_

She replied right away.

_Roses are never overdone :)_

_\- Good. I hope you're not busy… I'm planning on being at your place in about ninety minutes._

Ulquiorra sent the text off grinning like an idiot.

She took it in stride.

_I'm at home. I don't have anything going on. I'm literally watching paint dry, lol._

With a burst of energy, Ulquiorra used flash step to head toward a nearby florist shop and then headed back home. He changed his clothes to something more dressy and looked at himself in the mirror as he fastened the cuffs of his shirt. He could do this. All he had to do was gather everything up and then make his way to her apartment.

He arrived twenty minutes later. He had a small box that contained four chocolate covered strawberries for her, a bottle of wine he offered to her yesterday and a dozen red roses. Ulquiorra stood outside her apartment door and waited a minute before he sent a tendril of spiritual pressure out. He wondered if she would respond to that or if he needed to knock.

She felt it and sent a ribbon of her own warm energy out to greet his before she got to the door. She didn't expect him so soon. She was dressed for lounging, but she didn't care that she wasn't made up or perfect. He had seen it all before. She came out to open the door wearing an oversized tank top and leggings.

When the door came open, he stared at her from her feet all the way up to her face. Ulquiorra took a deep breath, exhaling smiled at Orihime. "Hey," he said. "I know I'm early. I couldn't wait. I got you something."

She smiled at him in a way that made her eyes twinkle as she walked over to him. "I got you something too, remember? I should give it to you now," she said. She looked him over. He looked good. Dapper. She blushed a bit as she sat down on the couch and patted the space beside her.

Ulquiorra followed her suggestion and set the brown paper sack on the floor. He smiled at her before he picked up the box of chocolate covered strawberries and set them in her lap. "I figured with our sinful meal earlier, you might appreciate these. Healthy… ish," he said with a half smile. He felt his stomach twist with anticipation. He wasn't sure how she would take his gifts.

She opened the box and looked inside, then looked at him with an appreciative smirk. "You sly thing! Thank you, this is perfect. I'm starving anyway. Want one?" she offered, taking one out of the box and bringing it to her lips.

Shaking his head, Ulquiorra declined. "Bought them for you. I also got you a bottle of wine and these," he said, picking the bouquet of roses out of the bag.

She took the flowers and smelled them, looking over the tops of the blooms at him so only her eyes were visible. "You didn't have to do this, you know," she said in a sweet voice. "But thank you, these are beautiful. Do you want to open that now?" she asked, glancing at the wine, then looking back to him, "Or should we save it for an occasion?"

"Depends, Woman," he asked in a low voice. Ulquiorra swallowed and gazed at her, hunger starting to wake in his brain. "Is this an occasion? I promised you romance. I promised to show you how in love I am with you."

Her blush deepened. "Well, how about I give you your gifts and then you can decide?" she suggested, setting down the flowers and going to her room. She returned a moment later and passed a purple shopping bag with gold foreign script on it to him.

His face colored slightly when she handed him the bag. He glanced in her direction before opening it. The first item he saw inside was a bag of loose leaf Thai tea that boasted the flavors of cardamom, tamarind and star anise. He studied it for a moment before he retrieved the next item, a bag of coconut candy. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Pulling out the next item, Ulquiorra looked at Orihime, a bewildered expression pasted on his face. It was some kind of woven cloth, with a green, white and black chevron pattern. Maybe it was a wall hanging? "I'm not too sure what this is but the pattern and craftsmanship is nice."

She laughed, "You can use it as a scarf or a belt or sarong, if you're into that kind of thing. You could also just use it as a towel," she said, then looked back toward the bag, "there is one more thing in there_ . _"

A straight black eyebrow rose and Ulquiorra reached in the bag. His pale fingers wrapped around a circular object and he took it from the bag. His eyes went wide and he glanced up at Orihime. "What is-Is this-?" This was the bracelet he had given her years ago to abscond with her. No. It wasn't exactly like it. There were some differences. It wasn't exact but it was close enough.

He watched her face as he slipped that bracelet onto his wrist. To him, this was as good as a proposal. She gave him something that essentially tied them together. She gave him a piece of jewelry that had meaning to each other. "Thank you, Woman. You didn't have to do this."

"I know, but when I saw it, I knew I had to give it to you. Now, remember," she said, looking at him with mischievous eyes, "this one won't actually make you invisible. But if you wear it I'll be sure to notice you more than anyone else," she laughed, and added, "You're welcome."

He never planned on taking the thing off then. He reached over to cup her face, running his thumb across her cheek. "I think that this an occasion to perhaps celebrate but I bought that wine for you to enjoy."

She stood and took the bottle to the kitchen to open it, saying. "Don't you know? Wine is for enjoying with the ones we love. Otherwise, you're just drinking alone." She reached up to grab some glasses from a cupboard, being a bit careful about how her shirt was hanging on her sides. "By the way, I have one more thing to show you," she said as she returned to the living room with the glasses and open bottle.

He waited, watching her as she moved. "What is it? I don't think you could surprise me anymore today," Ulquiorra said with a small smile.

She grinned in response and stood several feet in front of him, setting down the wine and glasses. She turned so her body faced his left, and then lifted her left arm. Due to the large armholes of the tank top she had on and her lack of bra, the entire side of her ribcage and a bit of the side of her breast were exposed.

It seemed like his breath stopped. Green eyes stared at the portion of her skin she had shown him. Ulquiorra stood, and walked over to where she stood. That was Murcielago inked into her skin below a heart. The key to his release was etched into her flesh. Why did she get this? He glanced at her, silently asking for permission to touch her. He couldn't speak at the moment, too moved to form words.

A smile slowly stretched her lips as she observed how captivated he was by the tattoo she had designed. She had it placed high on her ribcage, slightly behind and below her armpit. It was about as long as a hand is wide, and in a location that would not ordinarily be seen; at most times her arm would cover it up.

He continued to hover around it. "You can touch it if you want," she encouraged, sensing his hesitation.

Ulquiorra didn't waste time. He wrapped an arm around her and then used his free hand to stroke the area around the new tattoo. She had to have gotten it in the past week. It looked like it was already healed though. "Murcielago," he murmured, finding his voice. "Why, Woman?"

"I wanted to make sure I always had a sword to protect the heart. At the time, I didn't know if it was mine... or someone else's, but I wanted it. And, you know, because it looks badass."

He gave her a side-eyed look and then turned his eyes to the tattoo, fingers still touching it. Occasionally, the tips of his fingers would brush the curve of her breast. "No one else," he replied. "I am your sword, Orihime. Me and you. We can protect each other."

She looked into his eyes, letting them linger as he looked at her tattoo and back to her. She had missed him more than she knew, and she knew she had missed him a lot. Her eyes had become wet at his murmured words. "I think you're right, this is an occasion."

"Can I-May I kiss you?" he asked, straightening his body so that he could look at her face properly.

She nodded, her lips slightly parted, and tilted her chin up to look at him.

He bent down, capturing her lips with his own, slowly moving his mouth against hers, all while he continued to caress her new tattoo. It was just like the second kiss he gave her, sensual and drawn out. He invaded her personal space and then retreated only to tease her with his tongue and teeth, nibbling at her lower lip.

She smiled into his kiss. When his teeth came out to play with her lower lip for a second time, she pushed up on her tiptoes and bit his top one softly, dragging on it ever so slightly, then releasing and kissing him full on the lips, then wrapping her arms around his neck and bear-hugging him, putting another firm kiss on his princess tattoo.

She let go with one arm and tried to reach for a wine glass. "I really want to try some of this," she begged, looking cute.

Hngh, he had practically melted into her arms. When she broke away from him, Ulquiorra wondered if it was too much, too soon. He released Orihime from the embrace and nodded, taking a small step back. "It's for you, Woman. Enjoy it."

Orihime smiled at him and turned to the side, filling only her own glass. She picked it up, faced him, and took a sip. She only broke eye contact when her eyes closed as she smelled and tasted the wine, allowing it to wash over her palate and overcome her senses. When she opened her eyes again, she took the glass away from her mouth for a moment and told him, "This is really quite good, you should taste it," then brought the glass to her mouth again.

Before he could make a move, she stepped toward him and put her hand behind his neck, pulling him back to her mouth as she removed the glass from it, her lips coated with the red liquid. She kissed him, her tongue coming out to wet his lips further, and then pulled back. "Let me know if you'd like a glass of your own," she said, letting her hand trail back down his neck, his shoulder, his arm, all the way down to his fingertips before she let go and stepped back.

Ulquiorra watched her for a moment before he went to sit back down on the couch. He couldn't keep standing. This woman had to know what she was doing to him. His heart was racing. His hands itched to touch her but he refrained. They agreed for this to be a slow, steady thing. Instead of asking for it, he grabbed a wine glass and the bottle. When he was satisfied with the amount, Ulquiorra sat the bottle back onto the coffee table and drained his glass like a heathen.

"Thirsty, are you?" Orihime asked, cocking an amused brow.

He glanced up at her to show her the deadpan expression on his face. "Tch," he said.

She grinned. "Oh come on, that was funny." She walked over and sat beside him with her glass in hand and took another sip.

"Why are you tempting me?" he asked, putting his own wine glass down. Ulquiorra turned his head slightly and peered at her, waiting for an answer.

She looked back at him with a similar expression for a moment, before gesturing at the table. The flowers, the gifts… they all kind of followed a certain theme. "I mean," she started, looking at the items on the table, "isn't that kind of where all this is going?" she looked back at him tentatively, with a semi-apologetic look on her face.

He nodded. "We said-Are we going with instinct or following our hearts right now? You said I needed to learn what romance was. I'm trying to show you that I know what it is, even if I don't show it to you often."

She looked at him like he was the cutest thing ever as he spoke until he spoke about showing her romance. She leaned forward and changed her posture, bending a knee up on the sofa so that it faced him and reclining her side against the back of the furnishing, propping her head up with that hand. In her other hand, she took a slow sip on her wine glass. "Oh, romance. Okay, show me what you've got."

Oh. Ulquiorra blushed, listening to what she said. "So says the virgin," he murmured turning towards her. "I could show you all the moves I can do but I really don't want to be caught by your roommate while my cock is buried in you, lover." He smirked at her.

"Oh yes, the true voice of romance speaks," she retorted while giggling.

"I'm trying," he said in earnest. Ulquiorra grabbed her ankle and started massaging the arch of her foot. If she wanted romance he'd do it. Some website he had read told him women deserved foot rubs and it was romantic to give them. He'd never given one before but he was going to try. "I take it you didn't expect me so soon?"

She released a little groan as he kneaded a particularly sensitive spot. "Uh, no. I was just looking through pictures of Thailand on my phone while my nails dried. It really was fantastic. Warm, sunny, tropical. I never had to wear real clothes. The food was spicy and the drinks were sweet. I didn't want to leave until you started talking to me again," she said, pausing now and then to hum when something he did felt good. "I'd like to go back again someday as a tourist instead of for work."

He smiled and then switched to her other foot. "Yeah? Maybe next year we can go." Ulquiorra looked up at her with a serious expression. "I have one more surprise for you Orihime."

Her eyebrows raised, "What is it?"

Ulquiorra said nothing as he finished rubbing the other foot, ignoring her questioning stare. He stood and then pulled her up to her feet. Without any warning, he got down on one knee and reached into the pocket of his trousers and produced a ring. He had spent days thinking about this. He needed time to mull things over; to let them stew and bubble. He looked up at her, offering the piece of jewelry to Orihime.

Orihime froze. She could not believe what she saw. She couldn't speak. She couldn't think. She could only stare at him as her eyes filled, waiting for him to tell her what she couldn't believe by only seeing.

"I know this seems all of a sudden and we don't have to do this right away. We could have a long engagement and properly plan for the future; save money, buy real estate, boost our careers, kill Grimmjow. You know stuff that would have our priorities. We could tour Japan and go to that one place you told me about. We could spend some time in Thailand," Ulquiorra looked up at her. "Inoue Orihime, I want to be more than your boyfriend. I want to be your sword and your knight. I want to be your future. I want us to be partners and lovers. I found my heart because of you. You gave me the chance at a second and third lifetime. I want to be your husband because I can't imagine myself with anyone but you."

She still could scarcely believe it. She picked up her trembling hand and brought it to his, the one that still held the ring out to her. She still couldn't speak. She didn't have to, he had only offered it to her and declared his intentions, she thought.

"Will you become my wife, Woman?"

She sputtered. She coughed. She went down to her knees and climbed into his lap and sobbed once before pulling back and nodding. Again and again she nodded until she was finally able to say in a hoarse voice, "Yes. Yes. Yes, I will, yes."

A smile crossed his face and he took her left hand and slipped the ring on to her index finger. "I'm not sure if that's your size or the right finger," he mumbled. "I'm rather new to things like this."

She didn't care. He could have put it on her nose. She was so happy. She was so blindsided. Never in a million years did she expect this, especially not now. She wrapped her arms around his neck again and held him in another bear hug, petting the tightly shorn hair at the base of his skull and nuzzling his ear. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," Ulquiorra replied. He smiled at her. "What do you say we polish off the rest of that wine and make out like teenagers?"

She didn't wait for the wine to get started on the making out.

* * *

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	33. Chapter 33

**WARNING: MATURE CONTENT**

**Chapter 33: Lips On Me**

A half an hour later they were still making out but had moved to the couch instead of continuing their activity on the floor. It was Ulquiorra who pulled away from her, smiling slightly. Good things came to those who waited, was something he had always heard. He had patience as an Espada but his well of composure wasn't as deep as a human. "I would like to spend the rest of the afternoon with you if possible. I don't know if you have other plans or..." he trailed off, looking at Orihime questioningly.

He knew that although he just proposed to her, Orihime still seemed like she was in shock. Perhaps he should have given her some kind of warning about his plan. The thought of her rejecting his idea stung although she had said nothing yet. He studied her face and the way she stared at him like he was something to be admired.

Orihime grinned at him. "My only plan is to celebrate with you."

Ulquiorra almost sighed in relief. Instead, he caressed her face tenderly. "May I stay with you tonight?"

Her eyes squinted as a warm smile grew over her face. It was finally starting to sink in. Not really, only a bit, but it was _starting. _She was going to just answer yes, but then her smile turned into a grin and the thought that she was now officially attached to him tickled the periphery of her mind. She tried very hard not to squeal. In the end, she nodded while making a sound that was similar to an "mmhmm" but much more high pitched than normal. She was giddy.

A smirk crossed his face as an idea took hold in his brain. "I love you, Woman." Ulquiorra kissed her again, his thumb grazing over that new tattoo. "I think I want to make you breakfast in bed at my apartment."

"I think I wanna eat it," she responded, giggling as she pulled on his shirt, eager to continue where he had left off.

A hum left his throat as he allowed himself to be drawn closer to her. "There's something I'm dying to nibble on too," he murmured. Ulquiorra closed his eyes bringing his mouth to Orihime's for a moment.

Orihime pecked at his lips several times before acknowledging him, finally asking, "Oh yeah? What's that?"

"You," he said giving her a stare filled with desire.

"What have you been doing this whole time?" she teased, swatting at his shoulder, then getting distracted by the ring he had given her. She placed her left hand in her right and tilted it back and forth, watching it scatter light around and smiling absently. "What made you decide to do this? Why now?" she asked, forgetting her previous question.

He watched her actions and frowned when Orihime asked him those questions. It took him a moment to answer, trying to find the right words to tell her. With a deep breath, he said, "I love you. I want to be with you. Every time that we've been apart, I think of nothing but you. I want to be by your side until I can no longer go on living."

"I guess that it took you some time to come to this conclusion. It surprised me that you wanted to take it this far, though. I've heard the conversations you've had with "The Novelist"."

He raised an eyebrow at her then sighed. "I cannot base my opinions on one person's failed relationship. It did take me time to come to this decision. I'm not trying to rush into things. I waited for six years for you. I'll wait for another six if I have to but all I know is that I cannot imagine a life without you, Orihime. I hope you understand this. I don't want to imagine it."

"Well you won't have to if you don't want to," she said, sighing and removing the ring from her index finger and putting it in its rightful position on her fourth. "As long as I wear this, I am bound to you, you know. Like a koala," she giggled.

"So I did get the finger wrong," he muttered to himself. "What is a koala? Do they wear rings?"

She threw her head back and laughed a tinkling chime of a laugh, then looked at him with a playful smirk. "Nope, a koala is a cute little fuzzy gray animal that eats eucalyptus and clings to things that make it feel safe, like this," she said, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his shoulders.

The green-eyed man decided he liked koalas. He liked them very much if they inspired this woman to hold him like she was doing. "I remembered what you said in my apartment… About procreation and maybe I wanted to do it with someone else. The night at Aquamarine, I was drunk. That wasn't the real me. You know I don't drink enough to get drunk. I don't. I don't even know if I want to do that but just the idea of letting another person get close to me as you have… It makes me feel uncomfortable and irritable because I didn't want to get to know someone else or touch them… I guess what I am trying to say is-I've been thinking about this since the night I met you again. I know it seems like an impulsive question but I assure you, it's not."

She hummed, sizing him up for a few seconds. "Well if we are spilling our secrets I guess I can tell you one," she said, narrowing her eyes, "if you're interested in that kind of thing," she dangled the idea in front of his nose.

"What?" he asked warily. He knew that secrets could be bad and secrets could be good. Ulquiorra had heard others talk about them all the time.

"Today is not the first time I've said yes to you. I dreamed about this the night you kissed me for the first time," she paused and looked over at the ring now behind his neck. "The details are slightly different this time," she chuckled.

Ulquiorra smiled at her for a moment. "What changed? Don't tell me you wanted to be a virgin on your wedding night," he offered.

She blushed and bit her bottom lip for a moment, then smiled awkwardly. "Uh, actually, in the dream… um… well, there were a lot, um, fewer clothes involved, and instead of a ring, it was handcuffs…" she bit her lip again and stared down at her chest. She could not believe she admitted that to him.

Eyes widened and a devious smirk played over his lips. Did she even know what she was asking? He let his tongue wet his lips before he made the choice to stand up with her still wrapped around him. Ulquiorra tilted his head slightly and pushed her chin up with a hand. "I don't have any handcuffs but I sure Ishida has some neckties, right?"

"Wha-" she really,_ really _didn't want to imagine Quin's kinks.

"What? You want one of us to be tied up and fucked right? There's a sex store somewhere in Tokyo that has all kinds of stuff for lovers."

She looked at him with faux shock. "You sound like you know what you're talking about, Mr. Cifer."

"Now, now, _Miss _Inoue… Do you take me for some kind of deviant?" he mused then bit the corner of his lip in a playful manner while smirking. "I google a lot of shit during the day that I hear about or don't understand. I've read a lot about stuff that can be done while making love."

She buttoned her lip for a second and looked at him like she was considering it, then blushed again and smiled, saying, "Um given recent events I believe discretion is advised. We don't need _more _gossip. If you really want to use restraints you can always use that silk thing from Thailand," she giggled. "Maybe that's what it's really for."

He glanced at the bag on the coffee table before considering his options. Ulquiorra looked at the woman in his arms and moved over to the bag, snatching the cloth out of it. He then turned and walked to Orihime's bedroom, setting her down once they were inside.

Orihime reached behind him and shut the door. "As I said, Quin's supposed to be out," but as a precaution, she locked the door. "Now, I have a question, have you ever done something like this before? Are you sure you want to do it now?" There was no warning in her voice, only curiosity.

"Yes and I will spare you the details," Ulquiorra said. He looked at her for a moment. "I think I would enjoy blindfolding you so it heightens the anticipation. I could do so many things you would not expect."

"Oh? Like what?" she asked, her eyes twinkling. If there was one thing Orihime liked, it was surprises.

A chuckle left his throat. "Go down on you. Finger you. Bite you and leave marks," he murmured drawing her close to him. "Maybe you'd like to suck my cock while blindfolded. Or get fucked."

Her eyes widened and her mouth drew into a small o shape. "You don't say," she said, nodding as she raised her eyebrows. She was trying to be cool. She wasn't. "Maybe I would and maybe I wouldn't. That's for me to know and you to find out," she was pulling out all the middle-school one-liners she knew. Ulquiorra had no context for this awkward little chit chat.

He took this as a challenge. The smirk dropped from his face, replaced by one that hopefully conveyed his need for her. His hands roamed her sides, feeling that smooth skin, coming up to brush his knuckles against the outside curve of her breasts. Ulquiorra let the tip of his tongue trace his upper lip before speaking. "I will find out, Woman." Then he added, "Either way I'm going to get lost in you; your body. I want to hear your moans and gasps. I want to feel the way your body moves with mine. I want you to captivate me with the way you come on my dick. I was going to give you ladies' choice but I think I'll just decide what I want."

The left corner of her mouth quirked up slightly as she shuddered. His words alone were causing a funny feeling in her belly; one that was nothing like the one that had started during their make-out session in the living room. This one was instant and molten, and she felt the urge to shift her hips and flex her inner thighs to relieve the squirming energy that was taking over her. "Do you want me to submit to you?" she asked in a breathless voice.

His touches grew bolder, Ulquiorra had cupped her tits and was letting his fingers gently squeeze the flesh beneath his fingers. He wanted more though. Those same fingers trailed over her nipples, ghosting over the sensitive skin. "It depends, my Princess. Do you want to? Do you want to be on your knees in front of me? I could treat you like a queen though and serve you." His voice was husky and he moved so that his mouth was close to her ear. "I've always remembered my threat to you."

"Which one was that?" she whispered, a hint of nervousness in her tone.

"The one where I wanted to tie you down," he replied.

Her eyes met his for a minute and they were on fire. She didn't look away as she took a deep inhalation through her nostrils, her chest rising and expanding as her posture explained to him what her mouth wouldn't: she was up for this challenge.

She refused to answer him? Ulquiorra arched an eyebrow as he gently pinched one of her nipples beneath his fingers. "I asked a question, Woman. You told me you would obey me. I want an answer," he said in a seductive tone.

"What if I can't decide? Do you want to flip for it?" It was less than a whisper.

Ulquiorra continued to stare at her as he stepped back, unbuttoning the shirt he had on, until it hung loose on his frame. He grabbed each side of the piece of clothing and shifted his shoulders, inching it off his body until it lay in a puddle at his feet. He smirked as his hands loosened the belt holding his pants up but he didn't undo the button or the zipper. "I think I am going to provide my service to my queen and offer her my sword."

Her eyes narrowed and focused on his hands, waiting for him to finish what he had started. Her own fingers itched to touch him as he had revealed his sculpted body. Her tongue came out to wet her lips and her eyes slowly raised to his. "I accept," she murmured.

Ulquiorra grabbed her and turned. He pushed Orihime several steps back so that she was against her bedroom door. "Good, because I know exactly what I want to do to you and how I'm going fuck you. Are you curious?"

She nodded slowly. "What did you have in mind?"

"To taste you. To make you beg for me. To feel and hear you," he murmured as he brought his head down to kiss her. "I want to use my mouth to make love to you."

She whimpered. She had never done anything like what he was suggesting.

He had never done what he was suggesting but he'd read about it. He had seen porn detailing how to pleasure a woman using one's mouth and hands. He knew that she was probably a bit scared or nervous about what he wanted; this was new territory for him too but he wouldn't tell her that until after they were done.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked, sensing the slight hesitation on both their parts.

"You need to get naked," he said, before kissing her. His fingers had a hold of the hem of her modified shirt and tugged on it. "I want your body bared to me, Queen."

She did as she was told; pulling the tank top over her head and then rolling the leggings over her hips before pushing them the rest of the way down her legs until she was able to step out of them, then stood before him naked and waited, unsure of what was going to happen.

He sank to his knees. Ulquiorra motioned for her to turn around and brace herself against the door. He gently pushed on her back so that she had to bend over somewhat with her hands on the wooden surface. They had just made out but he could tell that Orihime was becoming aroused. He could smell it. He could hear how her breaths were hitching as he groped her firm ass. He used two fingers, trailing them down her spine and the curve of her bottom until he reached what he wanted to touch. Ulquiorra paused his actions only for a moment, running a hand over her ass before he gently nipped the skin. "Going to answer me now?" he asked.

A pained whine sounded through closed lips. It was the not pain from what he was doing that caused it, but rather the agony of waiting for the unknown. "I submit," she whimpered.

That was all it took. The same two fingers that made a path down her spine, parted those wet folds and entered her core, swiftly.

His fingers inside her were a welcome intrusion. She circled her hips around them slightly, wanting to feel the somewhat calloused surface of those digits from the inside, coating them with her essence.

He gave a little hum of appreciation at the sight of his pale fingers wet with her arousal. It made Ulquiorra bite his lip as he brought his thumb up to press against her clit. He expected the moan that left the woman and then the little whine as she moved her hips trying to achieve some friction.

The cool air in the room combined with the sensations Ulquiorra was causing made her nipples grow painfully taut. She tried to still her hips, wanting to let Ulquiorra direct this activity, but her body was impatient, and she was soon stirring his fingers within her again, the tight buds of her breasts brushing against the cool surface of the door, causing her to hiss.

A smirk crossed his face when he heard Orihime. Ulquiorra watched everything he was doing to her, making notes about what she liked and what made her gasp. She wasn't being loud enough for him. Why was she holding back? He slid his fingers out of her body letting them toy with her clit. "Do you like this Orihime? I can't really hear if you do like it or not."

Of course, she did. Perhaps he wanted to hear her talk like a dirty little. She was a little self-conscious about it though. "Mmmmmmm," she moaned through closed lips in a louder voice than she had used before. "I love it," she hissed.

"Heh, good girl." Ulquiorra took a deep breath, knowing it was now or never. "Do you want me to lick you, Woman?"

Yes. Knowing him as she did, he would not give her what she wanted unless she asked for it though. "Please," she squeaked. This was mortifying.

"Naughty lover," he said. Ulquiorra brought his free hand up and smacked her ass. It was merely a tap because he did not want to hurt her. That was the last thing he wanted to do but he knew from experience, a little pain was sometimes okay during sex.

This time she yelped, a sharp, high-pitched little squeal. "Ulquiorra!" she whined. "I like it when you touch me," she finally answered, her voice soft and somewhat petulant.

"Turn around and face me," he murmured. Ulquiorra was painfully hard in his trousers. While Orihime situated herself, he decided it was time to lose the rest of his clothing. He resumed his position, on his knees in front of her. He let her stare at him for a moment. Raking his teeth over his bottom lip, Ulquiorra looked up at Orihime, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Orihime did as she was told again. She held a hand to her mouth, nibbling on her fingertips, nervous to find out what he was going to do and how it was going to feel. She looked down at her lover's face, though, and couldn't help the slight smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. She loved him so much, she thought, her chest swelling with desire and affection.

He continued to stare at her body before his eyes were drawn to that inked numeral on her hip. It was just like his own but much smaller. It suited her. He brought his mouth to the tattoo, his tongue flicking out over the surface. He remembered when she had done the same thing to his tattoos, worshiping them with her mouth. The memory brought made his cock twitch.

When his lips made contact with her tattoo, all her breath left her in a whoosh, only for her to gulp down another breath just as fast. There was something incredibly erotic about having his lips on this part of her body. She could not recall him ever doing something like this to her before. She couldn't take her eyes off his mop of black hair as it dipped and retreated slightly as he pressed his kisses into the 4.

He couldn't see her face over the rise of her tits. It was okay. He didn't need to see her face in order to tell that she was anticipating what he was going to do next. He could tell she wanted more by how she would wiggle her hips slightly or the soft huff of breath that would come out. Ulquiorra moved his head across her lower abdomen, planting kisses in a trail lower until he felt her trimmed pubic hair against his lips. He hooked a hand behind her knee and lifted her leg until it was resting on his shoulder.

She felt unbalanced and braced one hand behind her against the door for support as he moved her leg. When he looked at her, it was all she could do not to let her legs buckle and lie on the ground for him to take her there on the floor.

Her face disappeared from view as Ulquiorra brought his mouth to her skin again. This time he felt the split of her nether lips and he placed a kiss there, drawing one into his mouth and then the other. He was nervous and didn't know if it showed. He had no clue how to do this. Orihime would be the first woman he had ever pleasured this way. He heard her moan, so he must have been doing something right.

His lips on her was a much more intense sensation than she had expected. She gasped and moaned, biting down on the knuckle of her free hand to muffle the sound. It was so much different than his hand, hips, or cock in this area; it was warmer and wet. It was a mind eraser. She had no thoughts as she stared, unabashed, at the top of his head, waiting for him to do something else.

Turning his head, he kissed one of her thighs and then the other, gently nibbling the skin he found there. He felt he had teased her enough, that he was ready to do this. His tongue came out of his mouth, flickering against her pussy. He moaned at the taste of Orihime. He couldn't even describe what his senses were telling him.

The first touch of his tongue against her sent her mind through some kind of warp where time and space no longer existed. She sucked a quick breath in through her nostrils and held it as both hands pressed against the door, desperately trying to prevent her from slipping away from this delicious sensation. She was already wet, and she could feel the velvet surface of his tongue mix with the honey that coated her inner folds, the combination creating impossible warmth and wetness. The only thought in her mind was the sensation of sinking deeper and deeper into that warm, inviting pool of heat between them. As he moved his tongue more toward a rhythm, her breaths started to come in short gasps and soft whimpers. She had absolutely no control over her reactions.

The more erratic breaths that she took spurred him on as his tongue slipped between those lips, stroking the warm, wet flesh. He paid particular attention to her clit, circling it with his tongue gently. He didn't want to get her too worked up so fast because he didn't want this to end before it began. He moved his head and let mouth brush against the folds of skin. The whimper she released was enough for him to bring his attention back to that nub. This time he let his mouth close over it, sucking gently. He caressed the skin of her leg with his hand before he entered her again with the same two fingers as before. He bent them slightly, timing the thrust of those digits with his tongue.

Orihime was not going to last long. This was a new plane of consciousness. Her soft whimpers soon gave way to desperate cries as he brought her closer and closer to climax. One of her hands left the door and frantic fingers threaded their way into his hair and held on for dear life as her thighs began to tremble. Her cries became breathier and faster. She was so close.

He knew with every touch his mouth gave her he was driving her to that edge of bliss. Her knees shook and Ulquiorra could feel the muscles of her legs tighten. He moved his fingers inside of her, licking and sucking at her clit, enjoying how she sounded. Ulquiorra wasn't surprised as wetness dripped down his arm when she came on his face.

She had died and gone to heaven for sure. A silent scream escaped her lips as she looked blindly upward and came. He continued his ministrations until she literally fell apart in his hands, sliding down the surface of the door, her knee that was on his shoulder slipping down over his arm as she fell to the ground, limply grasping his shoulders on the way down.

Ulquiorra held her as her body continued to tremble. "Orihime?" Had he done something to hurt her?

She could only pant into his neck for a few minutes as she came down from her high. She could smell herself on his face. To her surprise, the scent only made her want to be closer and she brought her lips to his neck, kissing his princess tattoo, his jaw, and his cum-drenched lips. She tasted herself on him and sighed in satisfaction. Finally, she brought her half-lidded eyes to his, and whispered, "I love you, Espada. When I have the strength to move, I will reward you justly," she said with a weak smirk.

Okay, so she wasn't hurt or anything. A small wave of relief relaxed the muscles in his shoulders. "I guess I did a good job? That was my first time doing that," Ulquiorra admitted.

Holy balls. That was his first time?_ That _was his first time?! She grinned, more to herself than to him, and patted him on the head. "You were a very good boy," she said. "Well done."

He playfully rolled his eyes and then cradled her in his arms. Using his legs, Ulquiorra stood up and moved them to her bed. "You were a _very _good girl by listening to me. I love you, Woman."

She lay beside him and lazily ran her fingertips over his body, starting at the hollow of his throat and trailing down the center of his abdomen, to his navel, down to the line of hair leading to his cock. When she reached it, she wrapped her hand around it and languidly massaged the silken skin from base to tip and back, her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat as it thudded within him louder and more quickly. "Anything," she said in a voice that was very slowly regaining strength. "Anything you want is yours."

Ulquiorra took a deep breath, his exhale stuttering as he felt her touch. He gave a low moan, trying to refrain from bucking his hips up into her hand. It felt way too good. "I just want you and your heart woman. I want your love," he said. His hand joined hers on his cock. The sight of their hands stroking him just inched him closer to completion.

"You have it," she sighed, climbing to her knees and kissing his lips, pushing her tongue into his mouth and stealing his breath, all while continuing the slow pace of their joined hands on him. She backed away after one more peck and kissed his chest, then carefully, taking a deep breath, swung a leg over his thighs, so she sat looking down at him, her other hand joining theirs and distracting his from its activity. She threaded the fingers of their two hands together and asked, looking into his eyes softly, "Can I make love to you now?"

He had to swallow as he watched their hands and then glanced at her face. He could feel the blush starting to appear on his face and he nodded, feeling bashful all of a sudden. He didn't know why. Maybe it was because he had laid the truth out before her and confessed what he truly felt for her. "You never have to ask, Woman," he stated. "I am yours."

She smiled at him and lifted her hips, raising her body and walking forward on her knees until he was beneath her. She still held onto him with her right hand, and she used it to guide him to her entrance, before slowly inching down on his cock, sheathing his sword to the hilt.

When she reached her destination, she sat still for a moment and closed her eyes, allowing the sensation of him filling her to wash through her body, the much-missed wholeness making her heart flip-flop and her insides flutter. Her now free right hand traced the tattoos on his torso as she began to rock back and forth on him, still hesitant to break the full contact she had with him. "Ulquiorra," she said in a low voice, "I am yours, too."

Ulquiorra's spine arched as she sat on his thighs, his entire length inside of her. He gripped the woman's thighs as she touched him and began her movements. It was all he could do to hang on to his sanity with how good she felt around him. He definitely was going to lose himself in her body. He began to move with her, hips bouncing on the bed. "Orihime," he moaned.

Urged by his movement, she increased her own, raising and lowering herself onto him with her thighs, bracing herself for balance with a small hand on his hard belly. She could feel him starting to swell inside of her already. She had wanted to make this last but he felt so good inside of her that she began to lose herself, releasing his hand and putting both of hers on the mattress on either side of his chest, her breasts sliding against his upper body as she raised her hips up and lowered them down in time with Ulquiorra's increasingly insistent thrusts.

She tried to restrain herself, but before she knew what was happening her walls were spasming around him and she was crying out her second release in ten minutes.

She didn't give up on him this time though.

"Fuck," he hissed through clenched teeth. Ulquiorra slammed into Orihime one final time before holding her against him. Her orgasm had spurred his own and he could feel his dick pulse and twitch, filling her with his seed. Once he was done, Ulquiorra felt boneless as he lay there; knees weak and chest heaving. "You're still on those pills, right?" he asked in a warm, affectionate voice.

She had collapsed on top of his chest and nodded, whispering, "Yeah," as she felt him soften and slowly fall out of her. Once he had, she carefully rolled off the side of him and pulled a blanket over their damp bodies before a chill had a chance to set in. She closed her eyes and wrapped an arm across his belly, muttering, "I don't want to go to Russia."

Giving a sleepy chuckle, Ulquiorra ran his hand over her hair, smoothing it down. "I don't want you to go either. You signed a contract with Pauletto though, right?."

"Yeah… I signed it the day you sent me packing," she said with a small huff. "I needed a distraction. This was it."

Oh. He wrapped his arms around Orihime, holding her tightly. "I'll never send you away again. But you can think of this as your last on location modeling job unless I can come with you," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Deal," she said, smiling, and kissed the four on his chest. "You could come with me to Mother Russia? Natasha and Boris could go ice fishing, no?" she played with a ridiculous fake Russian accent.

He shook his head. "Gotta maintain a low profile. Gossip, remember?" Ulquiorra said. "Plus I have that show this week. I couldn't paint without you around."

"Hold on, you used to paint without me all the time. What's the difference now?"

Ulquiorra sighed. "You were in Tokyo or in the vicinity. I couldn't feel you once you went north."

Ah. It made sense. She thought that even before he had gotten some spiritual powers back, there was probably some latent sense within him that could feel the air and energy around him. Some people might call it intuition or whatever, but that really didn't matter. The loss of someone's spiritual pressure could be quite profound, as she had learned over the past six to seven years. "I won't stay away long, then," she said, nuzzling his side.

* * *

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	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34: New Media**

He could hear a phone going off. He just didn't know if it was his… Who else's phone could it be? Ulquiorra opened his eyes expecting to see his loft but instead saw Orihime laying beside him, still asleep.

Oh, right. That hadn't been the best dream of his life. That was a fucking reality. He had proposed to her. They made up. He'd done things. His face got hot just thinking about it. Ulquiorra sighed as that chirping sound made itself know again.

The last place he had his phone was in the living room. Lifting his head, he looked at Orihime's alarm clock and cursed. It was too early in the morning. He knew that ringtone though and if he didn't answer it, PR Bitch, a.k.a. Hirano, would hunt him down and murder him.

Untangling himself from Orihime and slipping out of her bed, he got dressed in his pants and the button up shirt he wore to the woman's apartment. He walked out of the room to see his phone laying in the midst of his presents to her and her gifts to him. He picked it up, frowning at the number of missed calls. Why the fuck would Hirano be calling him since seven a.m.?

He pressed the call button, not surprised that she picked up before the first ring was finished. No, Ulquiorra was surprised because the moment the woman answered, she started screaming at him.

"_WHAT THE FUCK, C _?"

"What the hell is your problem with me today, H?" Ulquiorra asked becoming offended at her question.

HUFF. "You didn't see the fucking article did you? What the fuck is with that twit ex-girlfriend of yours? Does she like-"

"Excuse me?"

"That red-headed gold-digging bitch you used to date. Ring any bells?" the woman spat.

Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed and he felt his grip on the phone tighten. "That is my future wife you are talking about Hirano! I suggest you shut the fuck up with the insults and tell me what I need to know!"

Silence.

"Hirano."

"There's a magazine article in some fucking fashion magazine and it's all eyes on you," the woman stated.

Ulquiorra's expression softened a bit. This was probably the interview that Orihime had been talking about. He ran his hand through his hair, still not used to the shortness. Sitting down on the couch, he said, "How bad is it?"

"Hold the fuck up though," Hirano said. "_ Wife _? You proposed to her? Are you fucking stupid?"

He felt defeated when it came to dealing with this public relations agent. "I might be, H. I'm stupid and in love. What does the fucking article say?"

Hirano told him but she paraphrased it then told him to get his hands on a copy of it as soon as possible.

"Who wrote this?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Emi Takahashi." the woman replied. "I did snooping this morning while you ignored my calls. She has been linked to Yui before that slag got her break. Did your former-"

Ulquiorra growled. "No. Yui never mentioned anyone by that name."

"This woman sounds like she's hung up on your dick or something, Cif."

Another sigh. "I'll keep that in mind. Do you think we can set up an interview of our own to explain my side of things?"

Hirano snorted. "You're going to need a lot more than an interview. J. Itoh has done an article on you and will be releasing it Friday."

The green eyed man shook his head. He knew it was going to be bad, he wasn't sure of the magnitude of the destruction though. "I'm fucked. I have nothing for this show. Can you forward me a copy of the post?"

"Nope, I don't have one. He just said it was brutal and to expect it out Friday night," Hirano said. "I've gotta go. Somehow I've got to clean this mess up. Get a copy of the magazine, C."

After he hung up the phone, Ulquiorra sat there for a moment with his fingers resting on the bridge of his nose. What could that interview say that was so horrible? He texted Orihime, telling her that he needed to do something and gathered his things, including the gift bag she had given him with the candy and tea still in it. He wore the bracelet and that silk thing was still in her room, probably crumpled on the floor.

Orihime woke up when she got the text, confused about why she was alone and why Ulquiorra would text her. She texted back, asking what he was up to and whether he'd be back or just call her later, then got up and put on the clothes from the previous day that still lay on the floor by the door.

Her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Whoa, Boo. Who did you piss off?"

"Quin? What are you talking about? I just woke up."

"Check your email, I called that bitch, she said she'd send it to you." Ishida said and cut the call.

Orihime looked at her emails and saw one from Emi Takahashi. She opened it. There was no greeting, only the words, "see attached."

She opened the attachment.

**BY: Emi Takahashi. PHUKET, THAILAND:** Formerly linked to art scene heavyweight, C. Murcielago, model and Bunka Fashion College student, Orihime Inoue, was recently on the set of a photoshoot for renowned Shibuya designer, Pauletto, for his _Budding Designers _campaign on the beach in Phuket. The petite woman has long been rumored to be Murcielago's muse and lover, and there had even at one point been buzz that the two had eloped. Those rumors were subsequently proven false, which tracks with the fact that they are no longer a couple. However, this writer has long been determined to uncover the truth about Murcielago, and believes the macabre artist may be hiding some other secrets.

Murcielago has always been a press-shy enigma. Rarely interviewed, and not often photographed before his relationship with Ms. Inoue and his short-lived modeling career with Markus, the private life of the tortured, tattooed artist has long been a mystery. Once rumored to have been dating fellow Markus model, Yui, it was later confirmed by Murcielago's spokesperson that the pair had simply been friends and any speculation or gossip to the contrary was just that. Recently spotted exiting the popular Shibuya club, Aquamarine, with another short redhead, the rumor mill has once again been set into motion, and people are dying to know, "What makes Murcielago tick?"

False relationships and rumors aside, it has long been common knowledge that Murcielago and Inoue shared an intense, on-again-off-again relationship and even cohabitated. With this in mind, I sat down and had a long, relaxing wine lunch with the diminutive redhead while she took a break from modeling Pauletto's new collection, wearing nothing but a pea-green string bikini (pictured, left). Under the presumption of reporting on her work for the Italian-born, Tokyo-based designer what follows below is an abridged version of our conversation, which I recorded with Ms. Inoue's permission:

Interviewer (ET): So, Ms. Inoue, how did you meet Pauletto?

Inoue (OI): I met him through friends. My roommate and Markus were close and we were in the same social circle.

ET: This is the same Markus that you modeled for, together with the infamous C. Murcielago?

OI: (_ laughs _) Yes, the same one.

ET: How did you get started modeling?

OI: I was actually scouted by Aki Watanabe at an art gallery. She recommended me to Markus.

ET: An art gallery, was it? I imagine we're talking about a show for C. Murcielago. The pictures you did for Markus featured Murcielago. They had had a lot of chemistry.

OI: Indeed they did. We were pretty close then.

ET: That's right. It was around that time that there were rumors flying around that the two of you had eloped. What do you think might have started those rumors?

OI: I really can't say, I mean, we never talked about getting married or anything. Maybe it was just that we spent a lot of time together. Right after those pictures came out I took a nasty fall at school and had to go to the hospital for stitches. Murcielago had come to visit me and there was some confusion about our relationship amongst the medical staff. That is probably what started it, now that I think about it.

ET: So that incident has nothing to do with one of your reported pregnancy scares? A reliable source informed me you had been spotted trying to purchase emergency contraceptives on at least two occasions.

OI: What? No. The hospital thing had nothing to do with that—"

ET: So you admit to the pregnancy scares?

OI: No! It was just a precaution!

ET: So you never tried to entrap Murcielago with a real or imagined pregnancy?

OI: No. I would never do such a thing and I don't appreciate the insinuation. Besides I have too much going in my life for a baby right now.

(Author's note: due to her state of agitation, I decided to stop this line of questioning. However, these responses, together with the responses below, lead this writer to believe that perhaps their separation had something to do with her unwillingness to bear him a child at this time.)

ET: I see. Moving on, Pauletto's swimsuit line seems to be creating quite a buzz. What do you think of his collection?

OI: I think it's fabulous. The military theme runs throughout the collection, unifying the look across seasons, even for swimwear. Let me show you.

(Author's note: At this point, Inoue stood and showed me the back of the bikini bottom, which had golden stars embroidered on it.)

ET: I see, it's all very trendsetting, isn't it. I must say your body is very suited to modeling swimwear. How do you keep in shape?

OI: Well I try to eat right, I exercise. I used to do more elliptical but a good friend recommended me to try doing stairs. It's been working, for sure. I thought my legs would bulk up too much but they're just stronger.

ET: You look fantastic, But I noticed you have a tattoo on your hip.

OI: Yes.

ET: Care to explain the significance?

OI: It's the number 4.

ET: I have an image on my phone from Markus' failed fragrance campaign that shows C. Murcielago with a nearly identical, albeit much larger, tattoo on his chest. Are you insinuating that the resemblance is coincidental?

OI: No, not at all. I got the tattoo to remind me of him.

ET: I see, so you got it during a period of separation?

OI: Yes.

ET: And you are separated now, correct?

OI: Yes.

ET: So why the number 4? Murcielago's artwork is often gruesome and macabre. Is it because the word 4 is a homonym for the word death in Japanese?

OI: (laughs) No, it's nothing like that.

ET: Well what is the significance then?

OI: You'll have to ask him. It's not my secret to share.

ET: So it _is _a secret though? What other secrets is the mysterious Murcielago hiding? What about his other tattoos?

OI: Again, not my secret to share. Although like most people with tattoos they all have some kind of personal meaning. They're not just for decoration. People get the wrong idea about him because of his art and look. He's not the way he is for shock factor. He is actually very genuine when you get to know him.

ET: What about the one in the middle of his chest, the one that says ESPADA?

OI: It means sword.

ET: Why have a tattoo that means sword?

OI: It's not my place to say, like I said.

ET: is it a reference to a sport? To murder? Or is it just another dark affectation to look edgier?

OI: No. None of his ink is to look cool or edgy. He did use to practice sword fighting and he was very skilled at it. It was a hobby I think. It was before we were together. Most of his tattoos were done before we got together.

ET: Is it safe to assume that the word Cifer is Murcielago's first name?

OI: Yes. I would say ask him yourself but lately, he has told a few people.

ET: I see. Do you two still talk?

OI: Sadly, no.

ET: Too bad, why's that?

OI: We broke up. It wasn't a mutual decision. He offered to be friends but it's just too hard for me.

ET: You loved him that much?

OI: (nods)

ET: So what caused the breakup? Another woman? Murcielago is well-known for being a womanizer.

OI: No! No, he was loyal to me. He just didn't want me… I was inadvertently… He felt he was changing himself for me too much. He wanted to step back and reprioritize his career.

ET: I see. And it has nothing to do with your relationship with your roommate and fellow designer Uryu Ishida? Nothing to do with Pauletto's campaign? You really had nothing to do with the breakup?

OI: No! Of course not. I mean, okay, I guess both parties have something to do with a breakup but nothing specific I did… I don't know. I did sometimes disregard his wishes. I thought what I was doing was for the best but apparently, it doesn't matter.

ET: And what do you have to say about the pictures that surfaced this week of Murcielago leaving the nightclub, Aquamarine, and entering a love hotel with a woman who looks suspiciously like you?

OI: We are broken up. He's free to do as he likes.

ET: And that's it? It has no effect on you at all?

OI: Of course it does. It was devastating. Nobody wants to see the one they love with somebody else.

ET: I imagine it's worse when that person is someone who looks almost exactly like you. Is it safe to say he has a type? Short women with long red hair, similar to the figure in his most famous piece, The Woman and the Moon? It seems like he has always preferred women who fit this description, this last woman's weight notwithstanding.

OI: I wouldn't know.

ET: No? What do you think it was about you that made you so special? Some people say that you _are _the woman in that painting. That you inspired Midori no Ai. That a majority of his tattoos are dedicated to you. You must admit, it seems unlikely to be a coincidence that he has a tattoo with the word princess, which is part of your name, and the Roman numerals for your birthdate and month, among other things. Are you his muse, Inoue-san?

OI: I can't say I am his muse, but I know I have inspired some of his art and tattoos.

ET: But you just said you met him at a gallery a year ago. You said he had most tattoos before he met you. He has been displaying the woman and the moon for over 4 years. How can that be? You seem to be hiding something in this inconsistent timeline

OI: We knew of each other before we met.

ET: Do you think Murcielago is obsessed with you?

OI: No. Maybe he was a bit fixated at one point but he is over it by now.

ET: It seems like Murcielago just came into existence, but there are rumors that he was a known drug user before his rise to fame. Is he still involved with drugs? Does he have an addiction?

OI: Absolutely not. I have heard the rumors. I have never had any indication that he uses any illicit substances. I lived with him for months. He would not have been able to hide anything like that. We rarely even left the house.

ET: You were able to keep him that satisfied? Would you call yourself sexually experienced?

OI: No, what kind of a question is that? He was my first boyfriend!

ET: I find that hard to believe. Look at yourself, you ooze sexuality.

OI: It's the truth. I never dated anyone before him.

ET: Very well. What was your relationship like?

OI: It was wonderful until it wasn't. He was funny and cute. He was attentive and —"

ET: Is he a good lover?

OI: (nodded)

ET: I see. Passionate. Intense. Talented. These are words that come to mind when one thinks of Murcielago, yet you call him cute and funny? I'm going to have to demand evidence.

OI: He is. He made me smile and laugh a lot.

ET: Were you able to make him smile?

At this point, Ms. Inoue took her phone out and briefly showed me an intimate -looking picture of Murcielago with a kind, carefree smile. He looked like a man in love. Ms. Inoue was also beginning to slur her words and become combative at this point, so I decided to conclude the interview. I was able to draw many conclusions and conjectures from my time with Ms. Inoue. It was my overall impression that Ms. Inoue is nothing more than an opportunistic social climber, using her connections to more influential people to rise to higher levels of significance, despite having below average talents and just enough good looks to get by. Her most prominent assets are her enviable curves, which are unfortunately connected to a short body. It is clear to this writer that someone like Inoue is likely to use her sexuality to her advantage. While observing her work, I saw her smile and jokingly flirt with her director and photographer, and it is not a very long leap for that kind of behavior to spill over into more unprofessional venues.

Although it's likely that C. Murcielago was the one to approach her, it's this writer's opinion that the model made herself an object of his obsession willingly and knowingly.

As for her denials of trying to entrap the artist with a real or imagined pregnancy, based on our interactions today it would not surprise me if Ms. Inoue had at one point concocted such a scheme. She is inconsistent and her answers she avoids questions that cast her in a bad light. Is my firm belief that she is a master manipulator. I pity her next victim.

What does all this have to do with the mysterious artist left in her wake? Overall, his ex-lover paints a picture of a lovesick but otherwise balanced individual. However this vision does not match past substantiated information. I can only conclude that she's lying.

Through my exhaustive investigation I put together a picture of the tortured artist as a struggling drug addict who finally found redemption by painting his nightmares and demons out of his head and onto a canvas. It stands to reason, then, that Ms. Inoue is also a figure from his nightmares. A bewitching woman who captured and tortured his heart until his lucky escape from their relationship.

Much remains a mystery about the beleaguered artist and I, for one, will be watching what happens for him next

"That ho," Orihime said to herself, somewhat stunned, as she forwarded to email to Ulquiorra.

After he left Orihime's apartment he went to the nearest bookstore and looked around for the magazine that Hirano mentioned while on the phone. He was currently waiting in line at a coffee shop, reading the article, his glare and frown becoming more intense with every word. This was total bullshit.

His phone chimed in his pocket, so it dug it out of his pocket. It was Orihime and she sent him the article. Ulquiorra shook his head and texted her back a picture of his right hand holding the magazine.

\- _Really? You got drunk and told this woman all about me? It paints you in a bad light Orihime. :(_

Orihime read his text and sat on the couch, cradling her forehead. What was she supposed to say? She sighed, realizing there was no point in dressing up the truth.

_I'm sorry. I was heartbroken. It's no excuse though. I didn't say anything bad about you, but I think this Emi has it out for me. She acted like she was a confidante and I was lonely. I'm such an idiot._

He sighed and left the shop without ordering anything. This was a clusterfuck. Why did people want to interfere with his life? What business was it of theirs to butt their noses in his business? Ulquiorra called Orihime.

When she picked up, he said, "I realize that you said nothing bad about me but to me, it sounds like you were still in love with me. I know circumstances have changed and we both know how the other truly feels but…"

"But?"

"This is going to be bad for you," he added. Ulquiorra huffed. "Hirano called me this morning; she's my public relations person and I hired her after the modeling campaign with Markus. She called me this morning and screamed at me. She's not too happy that I proposed to you."

She was silent for several seconds. "Well, what do you want to do? What does she want you to do? I mean, we don't have to tell anyone…"

"I've no clue," Ulquiorra replied. "H just told me to get a copy of this and she had to clean up my mess again. Apparently when it rains, it pours, though, because a known art critic wrote an article about me. He tore me apart because I don't have a show. The pictures, this articles; all I wanted is to lead a normal life."

Orihime sighed. "When is your show again?" she was flustered and couldn't remember.

He pulled the phone away from his face and opened the calendar app. In big bold letters it told him when the doomed art show was to open. "Friday," he answered.

"It's not a lot of time, but I have an idea."

"What is it? I want to hear it before I agree. I don't need Hirano coming after me with a knife. This art guy doesn't like me. He's probably caught onto the fact that my show was canceled and the rescheduled to a different date. I told the gallery owner I had nothing for this show."

"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. You have a camera. Photograph me. Photograph us. Graffiti it up. Make it tortured and edgy. Add it to your show. I don't know; I'm not an artist, but I know six days is not long enough to paint a whole show's worth of canvases. But… maybe you can discredit the art critic by having a completely new kind of work at the show? We can make Emi Takahashi look like a liar if we're in photos together. It can only help, right?"

He was going to argue. Ulquiorra's mouth opened and then closed to do so, but her idea was brilliant. There was a downside to it though. "It's Saturday morning. My show opens Friday evening. That's an insane amount of work to put both of us through to prove someone wrong. It might also strengthen that bitch's article."

She wasn't happy about potentially trashing her own image, but his livelihood was on the line. She took a deep breath. "Don't worry about my image. There's no such thing as bad publicity, right? Ask Hirano. As for the work - I have nothing better to do from now until the time I have to leave Thursday morning. We can use your place or a studio at school. We protect each other, right?"

"Right. I'm not happy about this though. Why protect my image when I'm a known fuckboy? The article said I was a womanizer," Ulquiorra said.

She chuckled. "You can't undo the past, but you get to direct your future. Who cares what anyone else thinks about your image, as long as they respect your work. That's what I'm focused on."

Dammit, she was right... Again. Ulquiorra thought about his options. The show could go on and it would flop because all he had was the one painting. His name would be dragged through the mud. He would most likely have to beg for places to give him a chance at art shows. Or, he could totally flip the script and give the gallery an amazing show. He knew that he had nothing except for one painting. He could do abstracts and paint splatters, which were not a trademark of Murcielago. "Okay, uh, I'm going to call Hirano. Get to my place, I don't want to use the college's studio. I know my own computer better and it would be distracting having to navigate a different one."

He paused for a moment, trying to think. "Edgy, teased hair and heavy eye makeup. Black. Everything else can be left to you. Bring some of your collection with you. Do you need me to call you a cab?"

"I got it. Want me to ask Quin to assist?"

Not that he wanted his time with Orihime intruded on by her roommate but this was a limited opportunity. "If he's available, bring him along. I'm-We're going to need all the help we can get."

"I will be there in one hour." She hung up.

Hirano thought he was insane but if they could pull it off, she'd stop bitching at him for a week. UIquiorra even promised to produce _The Woman and The Moon _for a limited showing. This would be the second time he would pull it out of storage.

When he got to his apartment, he unlocked the door and threw the magazine onto the counter. He was going to fix this. He'd fucked it up and he'd been fucking up since this started. It was a snowball of incidents and drama that rapidly got bigger as time went on.

Leaving his half finished canvases up on the easels, Ulquiorra set up his camera on the tripod and connected it to his computer. Hopefully, Orihime would have help with her. He sent her a text that asked for her to grab coffee because he was going to need it.

Ishida showed up first, his arms laden with garment bags and make-up kits. He also had a large backpack with collapsible studio light boxes he had swiped from the college's photo studio, just for today. He had been at school when he got the call from Orihime, so he grabbed the items from her collection along with the other items that were stored there and came over right away. He had been hesitant to lend a hand, not quite on board with his roommate and her ex getting back together, but when he heard about the project, he was all in. Personal shit took a backseat to creativity for Quin.

"So, I hear it's going to be a busy day," he said after Ulquiorra opened the door.

"Yeah, uh, Orihime tell you what was going on? Have you seen the interview she did?" Ulquiorra said, moving away from the door and gesturing for the man to come inside the apartment.

"Yeah, I was the one who called that Takahashi bitch had made her send the article to her. I swear… By the way, twelve flights of stairs? Really? Someone like you can't afford something a little bit more convenient? You're lucky I'm not dead," he said, carefully laying the garment bags over the arm of Ulquiorra's chair and then setting up the kits on a side table.

Ulquiorra chuckled. Everyone bitched about the stairs. "You would have never survived in Los Noches," he stated. "I could but I like my loft. If Orihime decides she wants to go somewhere else, we will."

Uryu raised a brow at him. "What are you saying? You're moving in together? Weren't you just broken up yesterday?"

Oh, she hadn't told him. Well, it wasn't his news to hand out, so Ulquiorra shrugged. "I, uh," he floundered for words.

There was a tapping at the door.

"That'll be her. You can ask her what's going on," Ulquiorra said, turning to the door and opening it.

Orihime stood on the other side of the door, panting and sweating. "I made it," she said. Her hair was a crazy mess. She had done the teasing at home but expected Quin to do the final styling. Her eyes were heavily lined and her lips were glossed. She had more garment bags with her. "Are you guys all set up already?"

The green-eyed man nodded. "So you said take photos of us and alter them. My idea is to somewhat recreate _us _from six years ago," Ulquiorra said, glancing over her. She was still beautiful and lovely to him.

Uryu scoffed. "Well at least I kinda know how that looked," he said, shaking his head. He knew it was a good idea professionally, but personally, he thought it blew.

"Ok, well, do you want to see the clothes? I did work on some menswear, too," Orihime suggested as she stood in front of Quin, who held a comb and a bottle of hairspray expectantly.

Ulquiorra nodded and started up the photo program. He'd lifted it off Markus and used the man's serial number. It was wrong but the former hollow didn't have much sense of right or wrong. "Orihime, did you want to keep your ring on?" he asked.

"It's up to you," she said, blushing.

"What ring?" Quin asked suspiciously, then looked down at her finger. "Oh you have got to be kidding," he complained loudly.

"What?" Ulquiorra snapped. He rolled his eyes and glared at the Quincy. "Do you have a problem?"

"It's your lives. Do what you want," he muttered, busying himself with Orihime's hair. After a moment he paused, then grinned wickedly and laughed. "Kurosaki is going to go ballistic," he said, as if it was the most delicious idea he'd ever imagined.

Ulquiorra's head turned towards the other male. "No, you cannot say anything to anyone about this. It's Orihime's and my business and when we're ready, we will announce our intentions."

Quin tsked and huffed. "Fine. But_ please _tell me when that will be because I want to be there for his reaction."

Orihime interrupted before Ulquiorra had a chance to respond. "In that case I ought to take it off, don't you think? Is there somewhere safe to put it here?"

His mouth set in a thin line. Ulquiorra held his hand out to her. "There's that small box in my bedroom on the dresser. I have to go up there anyway to get my stuff and change."

She took the ring off and kissed his cheek as she passed it to him, then returned to Quin. "Which of these should I wear? Or do you want to do any nudes?"

Was she insane? Ulquiorra shook his head. "No," he answered before Ishida could speak. "No nudes. No one-" he stopped himself because that jealousy monster was raising its head. "Maybe partials? From the waist up?"

She smiled, "Whatever you want. You can always manipulate the images or paint over what you don't want to share," she suggested. "And don't worry about Quin, he's a professional."

"And gay!" the Quincy chipped in, not looking up from his task or sounding particularly moved by the conversation.

"Like I give a damn about him. It's the rest of society that I don't want seeing you but you're right, as usual." Ulquiorra gave her a smile before he climbed the ladder to his bedroom. He walked over to the box and opened it to retrieve the items he needed and deposit the ring inside. He used the mirror to line his eyes with the pencil eyeliner. He used some other liquid eyeliner to put teal streaks down his face. The last thing he did was used the black matte lipstick to color in his upper lip.

Ulquiorra was good at this kind of makeup because he did it all the time to himself. It was his signature look when making appearances at art shows. He dug around in his bottom dresser drawer for the white trousers he kept there and the black scarf. He tilted his head, wondering if he should get the white jacket he had purchased and put that on. The Quincy seemed perturbed enough. He did not want to agitate him. When he finished changing and perfecting the makeup, Ulquiorra went back down the ladder.

Uryu looked up at him. "Do you have a jacket to go with that? Also, you need a wig," he said, turning to his kits.

He really was all business.

"I didn't want to give you nightmares but yes and I don't want to wear a wig, This is supposed to be edgy, grungy, and dark. I don't want to look like some screamo bitch and let's face it, that's what I looked like," Ulquiorra muttered before he went back up the ladder and retrieved the jacket from his closet.

Orihime had had her back to him the first time he came down the ladder, but Uryu had turned her around. She looked up at him and gasped. "That is, uh…" her chin to her ears started to flush with color, and she took a deep breath through her nose before finishing, "Uncanny."

He smirked at her. "The only difference this time is my heart beats and I'm not as cold-blooded," Ulquiorra walked over to her and tipped her chin up. "Do you like it?"

She made a kind of unintelligent vocalization, a mix between a "huh" and a "hmm".

"Oh for god's sake. You two can eyefuck each other later. Can we focus? Time is money." Quin griped.

Orihime cleared her throat and bit on her lips.

Ulquiorra shifted his gaze over to the Quincy, wanting to sneer. "You are _such _a killjoy. Are we ready?"

It was a grueling process and Quin was a brutal director. Ulquiorra knew the man was finicky about things but he vowed never to work with him again. It was constantly barrage of commands and lighting changes. Orihime had to change her own outfit several times, while he just removed the jacket or wrapped the scarf around his neck. They even got a couple of nude shots where Orihime's body was visible. Ishida had made sure that they stood several feet apart from each other.

"You can hump each other after I'm gone," was all that was said.

At about one in the morning, Ishida left. They had photographed everything they thought they needed. Orihime had one more idea, but waited until after her roommate left to propose it.

"Now, I have one more idea, but I want you to promise to listen before you say no, okay?"

Ulquiorra was sipping on more coffee when Orihime spoke to him. He sat at his computer, scrolling through the shots the other guy had taken. "What is it?" he asked, turning towards her. "Why would I have to promise to listen?"

"Because I think it will be perfect, but I think you might object. Promise to hear me out?"

He nodded. "I promise to listen to this idea of yours."

"Ok. I think we should make a sex tape."


	35. Chapter 35

**WARNING: MATURE CONTENT**

**Chapter 35: Little Do They Know**

Ulquiorra blinked. He blinked again. What did she say? He blinked several more times. It was as if everything he knew just vanished. "A sex tape..." He couldn't wrap his head around this idea. "You mean film us having sex?"

"Yes. You can just let the cameras run and then you can take still shots from them for use in the show. You can use the DSLR and our phones for grittier effect."

His mouth went dry and he just stared at her for a moment. Just the idea of having images of _that _was-was- He couldn't describe the emotion going through him. It sent shivers down his back. Ulquiorra bit his lip. It finally registered what he was feeling. Lust. Pure fucking lust. "Okay, Woman," he replied, his voice somewhat deeper than it was before.

She smiled. She couldn't believe it was that easy. "Okay, um, do you have any extra tripods or should I just find some books or something to set up the phones? I guess we can tape one to the ceiling…" she was thinking out loud.

He shook his head. "We could use the easels," Ulquiorra said and pointed to the other side of the studio space. "I mean we only need one. I'm going to be holding my phone. I want that perspective."

She bit her lip. "Okay, that works. If Emi Takahashi wants to talk about me, let's give her something to talk about, right?" She looked at him through squinted, conspiratorial eyes.

He grinned. "Let's give them something to talk about, then." Ulquiorra stood up and gathered what they needed to do this. His hands trembled somewhat as he folded up one of the easels and unhooked the camera from the computer. He handed his phone to Orihime and motioned for her to go up to the bedroom. He joined her a few minutes later with the other stuff.

She set his phone on his nightstand and after he had set up the DSLR she arranged her phone on an easel. "Do you want the Bride of Frankenstein make-up and hair or should I soften this?"

He looked at her for a moment. "It needs to go. You can take a quick shower. It might be fun if you're all _wet _."

She smirked, but wasted no time. She went down the ladder and jumped in the shower, scrubbing her face and getting all the product out of her hair. When she came out, she didn't bother with a towel. She came back up to his bedroom sopping wet. She dried her hand and started her phone's camera.

"You ready?" she asked.

While she was in the shower, Ulquiorra set the timer on the expensive camera, making sure it took a photo every couple of seconds. Then he got naked. When she talked, he turned around and looked at her with a smile. "Maybe, you absolutely sure you want to do this?"

She looked at him, tilting her head and smiling, before asking, "Why wouldn't I want to do this? There isn't anyone I'd be ashamed to tell that we have mind-blowing sex. Might as well have some proof."

He blew out a breath of air and nodded. He picked up his phone off the bed and started the video app, making sure that the camera faced her. Ulquiorra took Orihime's hand and led her to the bed. "I think you should blow me though," he teased as she climbed onto the piece of furniture.

She raised an eyebrow at him and smirked. "That can be arranged. I'll warn you, though, I've never done it before it so it might not be that great."

He turned away from her and walked a couple of steps over to his dresser and lifted the lid of the wooden box to retrieve her ring. The camera was still recording everything he was doing, so it showed him sliding the engagement ring onto her left hand. "Is that the correct finger?"

She smiled as she looked down at their hands and then looked up at his face, nodding. "Yes," she said, then got up to her knees to kiss him, her long, wet hair clinging to her lower back as it faced her phone.

The DSLR camera caught the two kissing, Ulquiorra grabbing Orihime's wrist with his hand. It also caught him grabbing her ass to bring her body closer to him.

"Last night was my first time ever going down on anyone, and I think I did alright," he murmured against her neck. "I'm not going to judge you Orihime. Whatever you want to do to me, I'm sure you'll make me moan and have my toes curling."

She smirked. "Ok, how do you want to do this? You want to lie down? Stand against the wall? I think there's aesthetic advantages if I'm on my knees in front of you, but there's also something to be said about just lying between your legs. What do you think? Preference?"

Ulquiorra's brain melted just imagining his fiancee kneeling in front of him. Then there was the image of her between his legs with her ass in the air and pointed at the camera. That got him hard. "Hnnnngh. I think I should sit with my back against the headboard and then you can get between my legs. Make sure you're on your knees. Face down, ass up."

"Sounds like you've given this some thought. Alright, auteur," she said with a giggle, waiting for him to get into position.

He flopped onto the bed and scooted until his back hit the metal bars of the headboard. Ulquiorra hissed as the chill seeped into his skin but he quickly got over the sensation. He pointed his phone at Orihime, following her every movement.

She didn't waste a lot of time, immediately getting to her hands and knees and crawling between his legs. She kept her knees tucked under her as she brought her head down to his dick, then paused to look up at him as she pulled her hair to the side away from her phone. "You ready for this?" she asked, licking her lips.

Sure, Ulquiorra had gotten head before but none of those women looked as good as Orihime. None of them were Orihime; just copycats. He took a shaky breath and gave her a nod. There was no way he'd ever be ready for this, but Ulquiorra was just going to have to ride it out. "I think so," he murmured.

She nodded and wrapped her right hand around the base of his cock and sunk her weight into the mattress using her left elbow. Her ass left her heels and raised into the air as requested as her tongue came out to taste the tip, making a small circle and dipping into the the still-dry crevice.

Another hiss left him as he watched her mouth through his phone screen, occasionally glancing up to watch the woman. Ulquiorra could only grit his teeth as a whimper escaped. He had to take a deep breath to keep from losing his cool. "Fuck."

She smiled and hummed. She hadn't even done anything yet, she thought to herself as she stroked his length with her hand and then her tongue, kissing the tip when she reached it. Then she brought her hand down to his balls and cupped them, putting some very soft, delicate pressure on them as the head of his dick disappeared into her mouth.

The muscles in his thighs twitched at this contact. Ulquiorra looked at Orihime's face, teeth raking over his bottom lip. He threaded his free hand through her red hair, making sure it stayed out of the way of the camera. If he got to film this there was no way anything was going to fuck up the shot.

Orihime's lips dragged across the length of his cock as she pulled back slightly, enjoying the feel. His skin was so soft; egyptian cotton had nothing on it. But what really encouraged her was the feel of his blood coursing just below the stiff surface. When she neared the tip again, she swirled her tongue around the dome and sucked her saliva off, breaking contact for just a moment to look up at him with nothing but love in her eyes, smiling before going back to giving him attention where he wanted it. She began making work of the activity, going down as deep as she could go without gagging, then dragging back up to the tip again a bit more slowly than her descent. She continued doing this, letting her tongue lave the underside of his cock as she did, then tilting her chin a bit from one side to the other, letting each side of the length have a piece of the action. Her fingers began to carefully massage his testicles and her eyes flickered up to his as able to gauge his reaction.

He sighed, letting his head drop against the headboard. For this being her first time, Orihime certainly knew how to please him. She had given Ulquiorra several handjobs when she hadn't been in the mood and those felt fucking fantastic. The coupling of her mouth with her hand was an out of body experience. The sensation of her warm wet tongue against all those nerves was almost an overload on his senses. He groaned, eyes snapping down to her face just to get a glimpse of what she was doing and when his eyes met hers, Ulquiorra knew if she continued to do that, it'd be over. "Okay, okay. Stop. I'm gonna cum if you don't. We've got some other pictures to take."

She released him with a popping sound of the suction releasing, her face slightly disappointed. "I wasn't done yet…" She sighed. But he was right, they had to get more shots.

Ulquiorra huffed. "I know but believe me, you'll have plenty of other chances to do that. You did great. God, it felt awesome." He was babbling, murmuring to her. He looked at the cameras and decided that he needed to move one to get the shot he wanted. Propping up his phone and holding up a finger, the green eyed man said, "Stay right there." He then crawled across the bed and grabbed the tripod which held the camera and moved it a couple feet to the right.

He was going to fuck her while she was on all fours. Perhaps he would flip her over so she lay on her back, exposing that "4" tattoo to his own camera.

She felt somewhat awkward just sitting there, alone, naked on his bed with her ass in the air while he fiddled with the cameras. "You, um… You're really into this," she commented offhandedly. "If the art thing doesn't work out I'm sure you could find employment in pornography production," she giggled.

He scoffed. "Tch, only if I'm fucking you." Ulquiorra climbed back onto the bed and positioned himself behind her, planting kisses on her spine before he straightened back up. He then grabbed his phone and made sure it was pointing in the right direction. "You're not into this?" he asked.

She looked over her shoulder at him and smirked. "I am. And I meant behind the scenes porn stuff, by the by. Ready when you are, maestro."

Heh. Ulquiorra smirked. He had already declined offers to do adult videos and porn. He didn't care how much money people were offering. Most of them came right after he posed naked with Yui but still, there was only one woman he wanted and she was currently waiting for him. He could see the light tanlines she had, probably from that gold starred bikini. He grabbed his cock and teasingly rubbed it up and down her slit, closing his eyes for a moment at the feeling of her bare skin against his. "You think you're ready? I'm going to fuck you like I did in that bathroom; hard and fast."

Her entrance clenched at the memory of that experience, the pleasure and pain seared into her brain. "I don't know if I'll ever be ready for that, but do what you gotta do," she offered in an aching, whimpering tone.

"You know I'm not going to hurt you, Orihime," Ulquiorra said to her. He let go of his dick and brought his now free hand up and caressed her back, fingers trailing along the skin. "I'm going to start off nice and slow and work my way up to it. Just tell me if it's too much."

With that he lined himself up and slowly started inching himself into her, moaning as the head slipped inside of that wet depth. "Shit, I don't know if we're going to get to the hard and fast. You feel so good, Princess."

She whined out. Her body was fighting him every millimeter of the way, causing exquisite friction. It had never felt quite like this before. "Oh god, Ulquiorra, what are you doing? This is… This is," she choked on a whimper. "This is fucking awesome!"

It was fucking awesome. "It's not me, it's you. You keep tightening up," he stated, each word articulated with a push of his hips. Ulquiorra watched through the screen as is pale dick sank into the woman. Just watching this now was almost enough to make him cum. He couldn't yet because he had plans. He wanted to get her off. He wanted to take photographs of their release dripping out of her.

She had to bury her face into his mattress to muffle her obscene cries, her fingers curling into the sheets and holding on for dear life. When she lifted her head for a breath she looked back behind her again to see how he was faring. Her eyes were dark and cheeks stained red. She struggled to control her breathing. This was intense.

He caught her eye, bringing the camera up just for an instant; just to catch the look she was giving him. His eyes then flickered down to her ass. His breath was coming rapidly and his muscles felt tight. Ulquiorra knew he wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. He brought the phone back to where the action was. He snapped his hips into her. "I'm gonna cum, Woman."

She could only cry out in response. She wasn't ready yet but she could tell that he was at his limit. Then she had an idea. She flooded the room with her spiritual pressure. If he was going to come without her, she might as well make in an experience to remember.

He knew this feeling. He felt it several times before. It was her. The energy washed over him, making his eyes roll back in his head from the euphoria he felt. Goosebumps raised on his arms and for the moment he felt like he could hang on. Ulquiorra returned the gesture though, letting his greenish spiritual pressure envelope her body in tendrils. He slowed his pace, thrusting in and out of her. His strokes were shallow and he shifted his hips letting his angle change.

When she felt his energy come out to lick at her body, she nearly came. Her skin vibrated in response to him and she began to move her hips back toward him as he thrusted. Videos or no, her body was ready and on a mission to find its release.

His reptilian eyes went wide when Orihime began to move her hips. He was not prepared for it. He was not ready. Ulquiorra watched as her ass bounced off his hips and how her rocking met his thrusts. Fuck. This was going to be over. His free hand reached forward and grabbed her tit, pawing at it until finally the tension in his body snapped like a wire. Their reiatsu meshed together as Ulquiorra felt the first ripple of pleasure go through him.

When he grabbed her breast she began to come undone, first just a quiver from entrance to womb, then waves of powerful grasping spasms rolled over him as he filled her with strong jets of cum, drawing it all deep into her body. She felt his spiritual energy imprint on hers and gave a sharp, keening cry as she fell apart in front of and on him.

He slumped forward against her back. His breath seemed too loud in his ears. He felt his heart thumping every time a spasm went through his body. How did sex with Orihime get better and better? Why did it get better and better? He slowly pulled out of her. "Stay like that," he told her when she peeked at him. A blush crossed his face. "I want the picture."

She giggled a bit, thinking him to be the cutest pervert she'd ever met. "Alright," she said with a contented sigh, although her thighs trembled to stay tight enough to hold her ass up. "Anything you want, Love."

He felt like a perverted deviant as he got the DSLR off the tripod. Ulquiorra stopped the timer on the camera and then took several shots of Orihime with her back arched. Then he got behind her again and started snapping away. When he was done, he lay beside her. "That was fun," he said, smirking at her. "We should make sex tapes more often."

"Mmmmmm," she said, letting her hips fall to the mattress and flipping over to her back. "There are still a lot of angles left to explore, aren't there? Plus we're not always going to be this young and hot. May as well document it for posterity," she said, giggling. "By the way, did you get the money shot? Things are about to get messier," she laughed, feeling the majority of his semen starting to make its way back out of her as she laughed.

He shook his head and sat back up, nudging her legs apart. "Might as well get it," he commented. "No one else is going to see this."

* * *

Ulquiorra worked for days manipulating and editing photos to get them to look how he wanted them to look. He took breaks to nap, drink coffee and to have mind blowing sex with Orihime. He had seen Orihime off at the train station Thursday night, kissing her deeply, promising to text her, and then returning _his_apartment key to her. He took a nap when he could no longer feel her spiritual pressure. When he woke up, he got to work again.

Several hours later, Ulquiorra was done. He had thirty images.

The contract he had signed with the gallery only stated he needed fifteen works. He only needed thirteen more paintings or prints. The Woman and the Moon would be sent over as soon as he was done with the rest of them. He only had a couple of the "sex tape" images. Some of the shots he had gotten were… explicit. Some of the normal shots he had made as macabre as possible using a new digital drawing tablet he bought. It was so much easier to work with rather than a mouse.

He picked six of the best normal shots and then three of the explicit images. Ulquiorra sent them off to the twenty-four hour printing place, explaining in the email that he needed them by ten o'clock. The dimensions for the prints were big as his normal canvases.

Another nap was taken. He texted Orihime scaled down renders of what he submitted to the gallery after he woke up. A shower was taken. Ulquiorra got dressed and made his way to the printer's to inspect the prints.

The bell dinged overhead as he walked into the shop, greeting the man behind the counter. "I'm C. Murcielago, I believe you should have my prints done?"

A nod was given to him before the employee scrambled off to the back. The stack of mounted prints was high and big.

"Would you like to use our office to inspect them?" the clerk asked.

Ulquiorra shook his head. Picking up the first print, it showed Orihime in her version of her Arrancar uniform, shoulders bare and black streaks running down her face. He had picked up the color of her hair and skin for this print and everything that had that peachy orange glow was colorized against a backdrop of greys, blacks and whites.

The next one was him, standing there in that modified outfit, hands in his pockets. The eyes and teal marks going down his cheeks had been highlighted and seemed unnaturally vibrant.

The rest of the normal images showed them together. Parts of the images showed distress and blackened corners. Some images had them out of focus and blurry. Others showed Ulquiorra with no eyes. In each panel that showcased Orihime, she had those black tear streaks going down her face, trickling down her neck.

For the more explicit images he had picked three of her. She was on her knees in front of him and all he could see in the photo was her face and the swell of her bare ass and the soles of her feet. The next image was the curve of her hip with that black 4 etched into the skin. The final picture showed Orihime on all fours with her back arched, feet pointed up. Nothing too graphic was shown.

Ulquiorra wasn't stupid. He was not going to disrespect his woman like that. He had used the program that came with the tablet to add different marks onto the photo. He had blacked out Orihime's tits and had written the word "enclose" over the area.

He wasn't happy with that print but he wasn't ready to announce to the world that they were together.

Paying for his purchases and delivery of the prints to the gallery, Ulquiorra left the place and decided to get something to eat while checking his email. There were seven emails from his agent wanting to know if he was interested in various opportunities. There was one email from Hirano and the rest were just junk. He ignored them while he ate.

Ulquiorra sighed when he was finished and wondered if Orihime had gotten his text. He already missed her. She had been such a huge help this week. He was glad she was always close by during this time. Ulquiorra appreciated it. Their relationship needed constant nurturing and supervision. He was constantly talking to her as he worked.

He barely made his deadline for the art gallery though. He finished the finalizing everything an hour before everything had to be there. Ulquiorra was nervous. He had maintained a radio silence with everyone, except for his agent and Hirano. He couldn't ignore the guy who got him jobs and shows. The PR bitch wouldn't allow him to ignore her because she was constantly in his face for some fuck up or slight.

Over that week of time, Kurosaki texted him, asking when he could come kick Ulquiorra's ass. He ignored it. He got several texts from Yui asking if he wanted to grab coffee or a meal. He ignored those too. Ishida was the only one who didn't bother him.

He would catch a couple hours of sleep then go to the gallery to help arrange the art. He was confident though that this show would be a hit. People liked sex. The prints were tasteful.

When he woke up, Ulquiorra quickly changed into something more professional and made his way to the art gallery in Shibuya. The neighborhood brought back good memories. However, when he entered the art gallery his somewhat jovial mood diminished. The owner looked mad.

"Murcielago, what is the meaning of this! This is not art! This is shit!" the owner came up to him screaming. The older woman was clearly fuming. "Where is the dark art? Where are my tortured soul paintings?"

"Artists go through down spots," he said. There were no violently disturbing images in this show. It was mostly the prints with a couple of abstracts and The Woman and The Moon. "Don't worry, this stuff will sell."

The owner gave him a tight lipped gaze and sighed. She was agreeing with him.

* * *

By the time she got to the airport in Russia she had received several texts. The only ones she cared about were from Ulquiorra, and those were the only ones she opened.

The first just asked how she was doing and reminding her to let him know that she arrived safely. The second had the copies of what he had prepared for his show. She examined them. They were shocking. Although not true to her memory, they really conjured the atmosphere and feelings of Las Noches.

Then she saw the ones from the sex tape. She smirked. Was that how he saw her? She was pleased with what she saw, only slightly disappointed that he hadn't sent her anything that featured himself in that set. It was alright though, she still had the video on her own phone.

After she felt her curiosity satisfied, she sent him a message:

_\- I'm here, it's cold! The flight was fine. The photos are… perfect. I'm sure you'll shock the hell out of everyone. I really wish I could be there! Let me know how it goes. I love you! xoxo_

He was conversing with the gallery owner when he got her text. Ulquiorra felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and a half-smile played over his features. The owner had come around and was very satisfied and happy with what he had produced, stating that he would knock the wind out of the people who doubted him. He had told the woman that everything would make sense once it was all hung on the walls.

When he was finished he looked around the gallery with all the prints and paintings, sighing. C. Murcielago might have pulled off a miracle.

He left the building and pulled his phone out and saw her text. With a chuckle he replied.

\- _Duh, it's Russia. It's gonna be cold. I wish you were here too but I have to make do with a bunch of pictures and videos. LOL, I'm kidding. I hope you have a successful photoshoot! No more getting drunk and talking to people though. _

_\- I love you too._

Orihime had gotten to her hotel room and was in the bathroom, just about to get into the shower when he phone chimed. She smiled as she read the messages and then took a picture of herself in the mirror, bare from the waist up, and sent it to him with a message that read:

_\- Well if you're making do with pictures, here's one more for you. I'll just get drunk by myself, it's much safer, lol. Jk. Please tell me how it all goes. I am super anxious to hear._

Ulquiorra was shopping when her text came in. He had eggs and a small package of rice in his basket which he almost dropped when he saw the picture. He had to glance around quickly, making sure no one was around. He could see the faint tanlines again. He saw her pink nipples sticking out.

He did not need to get a fucking hard on while grocery shopping. Blowing out a breath, he made a thin line out his lips and sent her another message.

_\- Woman, if you're not careful… I'll be coming to Russia. I'll let you know how the opening goes. I'm going home to eat, sleep, shower and then I'll be off to the gallery opening fashionably late. Miss you _.

He did just as he said to and when he woke up he found several text messages. There was one from Hirano, one from Yui and one from Orihime.

Opening Hirano's text he scowled at the words:

\- _YOU FUCKING IDIOT! DID I NOT TELL YOU TO STOP FUCKING UP? Who the fuck is Ulquiorra, Cif? CALL ME._

What? How the fuck would Hirano know his real name?

He eyed the next text from Yui.

_\- You naughty, naughty boy. Call me._

Orihime's text was just a reply to his last text, telling him to bring it with a LOL and her x's and o's.

So, he called Hirano.

"C, tell me you're not an idiot."

"You already think I'm a moron. What did I do today?" Ulquiorra said as he got his outfit ready for the night. He hopped down the ladder to the studio space below with the phone attached to his ear.

"I need you to tell me who Ulquiorra is," Hirano asked. "Don't tell me you've got another lover stashed away."

Laughter burst from his mouth. "What? Another lover? What the hell are you talking about, H?"

"Is this Ulquiorra a guy you know? Are you gay and is Inoue just a cover up?" Hirano actually sounded worried. "Do you have a twin brother?"

More laughter bubbled from his chest. He could work with this angle. He could deny his name. "I'm-My siblings are mostly adopted. Are you fucking crazy? Who is Ulquiorra? I'm Cifer Murcielago, you know that. What the hell is going on Hirano?"

She sighed. "Some asshole says he has video footage of a man named Ulquiorra, who looks suspiciously like you and Inoue fucking. He says he has pictures and everything. There's pictures of you two-Well it looks like you."

"What?"

"The pictures were released on some forum. The poster said that they were snagged from your cloud and Inoue's. There's also mention of a ring and you two are married; you caused drama just for attention and the publicity."

Ulquiorra's eyes went wide as he stood in front of the ladder. "H, do we have any legal ground? Can't you do something?!"

"I'm not sure."

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"

"If that's not you in the video or the pictures then why are you stressing?"

A heavy sigh left him. "My name is Ulquiorra Cifer. I changed my name to hide from some people; bad people. There's people out there who want me dead, H."

He could just imagine her eyebrow arching sharply. "What the fuck do you mean, C? What the fuck? Don't you think I should have known this before I-"

"It wasn't important at the time," he replied. "I need you to find out if we have some kind of legal ground on this. That video cannot be released!"

"Where the fuck are these people that want you dead?"

Ulquiorra opened his mouth then closed it. There was no way that he could tell her. "Uh… It's a French guy and a couple of other people."

"You're French?"

"What? No," Ulquiorra said. "Spanish and a mix of other things."

Hirano scoffed. "You look like a distorted image of a Japanese person. Like it's been watered down. Your eyes are way too deep though-"

"Oh fuck off. Just please, do as I ask. What does this person want in order not to release the videos?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Nothing, poster said he, uh, is going to release them when Inoue enters Japan again. Do you have any idea when that will happen?"

Fuck. How was he supposed to fix this? "Two weeks, give or take a day," he answered.

"Okay, one last question… What the fuck do I call you now?"

"I should fire your smart ass."

* * *

The website was one for a gathering of fans of models. There were different boards and groups for those who liked different models. There was even a way to find models by countries. He was a nameless man, unknown in the wide world. He had an obsession though. Tiny, female Asian models.

He was a big guy. He liked tiny small things. He could crush small things. When he saw Orihime Inoue's first modeling picture, _TitusSaurus, _as he went by on some photosharing place, knew he wanted to snatch the woman up. He wanted to have his way with her but then some asshole who thought he was a big shot artist/model waltzed into the woman's life.

He had even gone as far as to obtain a visa to visit the woman's home country. Titus drank in all the information he could have about Miss Inoue and that freak-like asshole she had aligned herself with. He followed her around, covertly taking pictures of the woman and the man. He had all kinds of pictures too. There were folders on his laptop of the contrasting couple fucking in the stairwell of the ninth floor. There were images of Miss Inoue giving that asshole a handjob in some club.

Titus even had tiny cameras installed in Murcielago's-no, that wasn't his name… He had cameras installed in Ulquiorra Cifer's apartment. He had found out a ton about the pale freak. He wasn't exactly human because he moved in blurs. He was constantly bringing up some gold diamond out of nowhere like a hologram from the future. He didn't understand how the man could jump ten feet and not break his ankles without rolling out of the jump from the loft. Titus had watched the camera feeds as the area around the man shimmered.

It was fucking weird and creeped him out.

He had seen Ulquiorra enter the building the other night. He smiled at the artist but the man seemed preoccupied. He watched the impromptu photoshoot, seeing every picture they took. Titus figured there had to be at least three-hundred images… Then just as he was going to turn in for the night, Miss Inoue said the magic words. Words that made his dick hard. Words that caused him to stay up later than he should have

"... sex tape..."

He saw all the action that went on in that loft bedroom. He was gunning for the guy to do something to the woman out of the ordinary.

It seemed like the great C. Murcielago was just into vanilla shit. Hmph. With him being as weird as he was, Titus had figured the man was into some kinky sex. He had heard all the woman moaning, screaming and carrying on before Miss Inoue became a permanent staple in his life. It had been tedious to listen to but at the same time, he knew a good jack off session was in order when those whores had been brought back to the apartment.

He wasn't stupid. He knew they used their phones to record the video. He knew the email address Cifer used for his phone. It was easy to hack into it and then it was easy to hack into the cloud service. He did the same thing for Miss Inoue. He downloaded all the images he could find on both phones and the videos.

Titus knew how to cover his tracks and bounced the images to a friend to post from some internet cafe in Las Vegas. He would bide his time, knowing that if this bombshell dropped, there was a possibility that both Cifer and Inoue would be ruined. Bunka Fashion College would not stand for their name to be associated with something so disgusting.

Then with the conversation he overheard while toweling off after his shower, Titus could only smirk at this turn of events. It was glorious how this was going to play out.

This was going to make a great idea for his next project.

* * *

Since this was a matter of utmost importance, the green-eyed man called his fiancee. No answer. He knew she was probably hanging out with the other models or she had gone to bed. He sighed. This was bad. He could feel it in his gut.

As he got dressed, he kept checking his phone just in case he might have missed her call or a text. Nothing. When he could no longer stall going to the gallery, Ulquiorra used his flash step and made it with minutes to spare. The place was packed, from what he could see as he walked into the building.

As soon as he saw the gallery owner, Ulquiorra walked over to her and pulled her to the side. "How is the reception?" he asked.

"I have people fighting over the prints," the middle-aged woman said. "So far the most expensive one is going for one million yen."

He raised his eyebrow at this news. What the hell was wrong with people? He gave a forced smile. "That's good. Uh what about the paintings?"

"Minimal interest. Everyone wants to buy The Woman and the Moon, as usual. The focus is more on your prints. I think you did the right thing by postponing the show. By the way, J. Itoh is furious! Did you read the post he made?"

Ulquiorra shook his head. He'd been too busy trying to meet deadlines and catch up on sleep to even bother with the art critic and his personal opinion. "Why is he angry?"

"Murcielago, you made him look like an absolute fool! People came in here expecting mediocrity and nothing. What they got-You simply stunned your audience," the woman explained.

That could be considered good or bad. Hopefully Itoh took this mostly unintentional slight as a joke instead of personally. "Keep me updated. I'm going to make my rounds and then go home. I've an emergency on my hands at the moment but I deemed it important to meet my contractual obligation."

He stayed for an hour, eager to get the hell out of the building with the people fawning over him and trying to kiss his ass for a bargain price piece of art. It wasn't happening. When he got home, he ran into the Novelist who was outside the building, smoking.

"Murcielago," he said with a nod.

Ulquiorra merely tipped his head at the other man before disappearing into the lobby and using discrete flash steps to make his way up twelve flights of stairs. He didn't mean to be rude but he had a bit more important matters to attend to rather than stroke some washed up fiction writer's ego. When he got inside his apartment, he tried calling Orihime again.

If she didn't answer this time, he'd leave her a voicemail and a text.

"Hello?"

"Orihime." Ulquiorra was relieved to hear her voice. "We have an issue," he stated in a serious voice, just so she knew he wasn't joking.

"What is it? Everything went alright with the show, right?" she asked the question in a hurry, anxious to know how things went.

He sighed. "Everyone loves the prints. The owner says that people are trying to outbid each other. Somehow our _tape _got leaked."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment. "Uh, what?" She asked in a flat voice.

"The tape, you know, the one of us fucking? Someone got a hold of it and has released my name with it."

"I know what tape. But why release your name?! Who would do this? What do they want?"

Ulquiorra walked over to his computer, turning it on by tapping the spacebar. When it came on, he typed in his name and waited. When the website came up, he started muttering. "Fucking hell."

Several hundred thousand people had viewed the post. It showed his face and Orihime's along with their matching tattoos. "It says the video will be released upon your arrival back to Japan. If the poster wanted anything they've not said what yet."

"That doesn't make any sense. Who would want to expose you? What would someone have to gain…" She paused, thinking. She knew Ichigo had something to do with the pictures of Ulquiorra's indiscretion at Aquamarine, but she didn't think he would sink to something this low. "Where did you find the post?"

"It's on some website that I've never frequented. It's a website dedicated to models and modeling. This this seems to be a fan forum? I'm not sure."

Orihime put the phone on speaker and did her own search. "Fucking Titus!" She growled. "Well if he wants to release shit, we could threaten to release all the dick pics he has sent to me since I started the IG account."

Ulquiorra was confused. "Who is Titus and why are you looking at his dick? Do any of these pics have his face in them?"

"I guess he kind of is an online stalker. He constantly spams my social media with disgusting comments and sends me creepy messages and pictures of his nasty penis. I told you about it a couple of times already. I don't recall ever seeing his face,"

Shit. He had thought that was her drunken rambling. Ulquiorra sighed. "Have you blocked him? Or anything? I mean… Do you know any information about this Titus guy? Why would he do this?"

"Well, he wants to fuck me, he said. He is really specific and weird though about it." She paused as her alarm went off. "Damn, I have call. I'll text you my credentials and you can log in for yourself, if you want."

"Why so I can kill him if we ever meet?" the artist growled, obviously pissed off that he couldn't contain his jealousy. "Okay, I'll talk to you later. Call me when you're done?"

"Yes, I'll call as soon as I get a break. I'm sorry. This is bullshit. I love you."

Ulquiorra replied with the same phrase and hung up. It didn't take long for that text to go through, the ding echoing in his apartment. He should give the information to Hirano so that she could go through it like a scorned lover but Orihime had entrusted the information to him. He didn't want to see it though. He didn't want to see her private messages and all the people wanting her attention.

That jealous monster woke up, telling him that he should look at it just to make sure Orihime was being faithful. He shook his head. How could he even think that about the woman when he had been the asshat going out trying to find women who looked like her? Ugh. He did not like stress and this entire week had been a fucking ocean of it.

Ulquiorra was floundering on the surface, trying to maintain his cool but it was a rapidly sinking ship. He ran his hands through his hair, sighing. He hated his human brain and the irrational thoughts it hurtled at him.

If it was this Titus guy what could he do to him? He looked at the poster's name and location, writing it down. Then he logged into Orihime's account. The amount of DMs she had was staggering. A lot of them were from guys… occasionally one would be from a female; most of the messages were dick pics. He had to wonder if she looked at any of them and compared these men to him.

"What the fuck?" he asked the computer screen as he came upon someone who was quite well endowed… More so than him. "I mean I know I'm slightly above average but that's fucking ridiculous. It wouldn't even fit-Shut up, Ulquiorra."

Great, now he was talking to himself and the computer. With a shake of his head, he scrolled through the messages, finding this Titus' username. With a simmering bout of anxiety, ready to burst at any moment, Ulquiorra clicked on the link.

At first the messages were charming and the guy seemed to be interested in Orihime but it progressed to relationships and sex. He complimented her and told her how wonderful the redhead was and how he'd never met anyone who was Japanese with red hair. Orihime had thanked him and then there was a couple more days of conversation where he continued to praise her.

This had been before they'd broken up? Or right after? Ulquiorra wasn't sure. The timestamps were confusing. He opened his calendar and counted back the days, matching them up with the messages. Shit, this was right after he suggested they take a break.

He looked at his own IG account on his phone and at his own DMs. TitusSaurus had messaged him. It was mostly threatening messages.

_Why don't you fuck off to Yui?_

_Go suck dick._

_You're a freak, Murcielago._

_I bet your girlfriend would love me to fuck her._

His lip curled into a sneer. Ulquiorra knew he wasn't a fucking saint but this was ridiculous. He glanced back at Orihime's messages and scrolled through until he found the first couple pictures of the man's groin. It was almost laughable. The guy had a pubic hair jungle and someone should have really told him that keeping that area clean looking was the new trend. In other words, the seventies called and wanted their ways back, he thought with an unpleasant look on his face.

The last message was sent this past Wednesday. It was another erect dick pic with Orihime's name written on the skin. Yuck. Ulquiorra quickly closed the browser. He could feel himself getting angry. He could feel that dark energy building inside of his chest. He felt this same way when Kurosaki said he would fuck Orihime.

Was that how he was to unlock that fucking power? He had to get angry like that stupid comic book character? Tch! It didn't help anything because he didn't know who this guy was or why he was doing this to them. So what if Titus wanted to meet her; to treat her to a date; to fuck her?

Ulquiorra would make sure this guy was bleeding before he would allow that to happen. He had to calm down. He texted Orihime and thanked her for the information then informed her that he basically found nothing that would help them out of the situation.

He sat there and brooded until there was a knock at his door.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36: The Enemy of My Enemy Is My Friend**

Orihime was a bit of a wreck in St. Petersburg. She had tried to stay calm for Ulquiorra's sake but her stalker had always scared her, and now, knowing he had breached her security, she was more paranoid than ever.

It would have been one thing if he had just stayed online, in the comments and forums.

Apparently, that was not enough to satisfy him.

The first text came while she was in the middle of her first photoshoot. As per her contract, she had teased the shoot on social media, posting a picture of herself wearing a fur-lined coat and hat, riding boots, and nothing on her legs. She had captioned it, "Chilled for Pauletto."

When she took a break, there was a text from a blocked number:

_-If you're chilled, I can warm you up._

She felt an immediate sensation of ice dripping down her spine. Shit. Shit. Shit! There was no way to block the sender; no number was registered.

She wasn't sure what to do. Ulquiorra was overwhelmed and not handling this situation very well, emotionally. She decided to tell Pauletto. The designer shrugged it off as the price of fame and went back to his work.

She knew this was different, though. This had to be that Titus guy again. The timing was too coincidental. She considered going to the police, but what were they going to do about it? Besides, she was in Russia. She didn't speak Russian.

She was at this creepy person's mercy for the time being.

Luckily, when she finished that first photo set, she didn't have any new messages on her phone. She went back to her hotel, took a long shower, changed into some pajamas, and took out her phone to call Ulquiorra.

22 missed calls. All from an unknown number.

She really, _really _didn't want to listen to the 17 voicemails.

She really, _really _didn't want to do it alone.

She went to her room's minibar and took out the astronomically-priced, tiny bottle of vodka and downed it in one go. She knew she was not in the right headspace to deal with this. St. Petersburg was six hours behind Tokyo, and it was only 10:00 p.m.

4:00 in the next morning in Tokyo.

She didn't want to wake him up. She didn't want to make him worry. She went back and forth in her head for a half an hour until she made the decision to just text Ulquiorra to see if he was awake.

_-Hey, I'm sorry this is so early. I need to talk. Call me when you wake up, please. Love you_.

* * *

The Novelist was on the other side of the door. "Hey Murcielago... You okay?"

"Yeah just dealing with some shit," the artist said. Ulquiorra stood away from the door and let the other man enter his apartment. "With everything that's been happening the past couple of months, I'm surprised I've not imploded."

"Ah, things still rocky with, uh, what's her name?"

Ulquiorra shook his head. "Not really. We're okay it's just other people have been intruding on our life. How's the divorce coming?" He didn't care about the other man's life but he wanted to make it seem like he wasn't rude.

"Women are crazy. Bitch wants half of my royalties," the book writer said. "So what's going on? You two back together? You get a bad review?"

"Orihime has a stalker. I've been up for the past three days because I had to change something in my show which opened tonight." Ulquiorra paused, trying to think of everything that had gone down. "I proposed to her although we were broken up. She said yes. Some reporter wrote a nasty article about her. Did you ever experience people nosing their way into your life? How do you deal with fame?"

The tall man shrugged. "You just brush it off. Unless it's true, ain't a reason to give it your time. It sucks though what you're going through. I just came up to check on you… You looked upset going through the doors."

"Thanks… You know… I never caught your name."

"Theobald… or Theo for short. Theo Crofton." The man smiled at Ulquiorra. "But I'm not offended, I mean I'm not that memorable. And I've only been here for a year, no it's been over a year. A little over a year."

"Ah," Ulquiorra said, nodding his head. "It's finally-"

"You don't have to say it's nice to meet me. I can tell you're stressed out. Anyway, I'll get back to my apartment. Take it easy, okay?"

The former Espada showed the man out and then locked the door. He climbed the ladder to his bedroom and fell onto the bed. He didn't bother undressing. He didn't bother with blankets. Ulquiorra was so dead tired that he didn't wake up until seven a.m..

When he made his way down the ladder, he noticed his phone laying on the computer desk. He shuffled sleepily over to it and saw that he had several texts from an unknown and then a text from Orihime.

The Unknown contact's texts were slightly disturbing.

_-Dick. I'm gonna get your girl_

_\- I can make her moan better than you can._

_\- She never sucked a dick and almost made you cum?_

Ulquiorra deleted these and then opened Orihime's text. He didn't want to but he called her.

It was a little after 1:00 in the morning when her phone rang again. She had been receiving calls from the unknown number once every twenty minutes or so. She never answered. She did make the mistake of listening to part of one of the voicemails though. Heavy breathing. The sound of something wet. A quiet, gravely voice saying, "I can see you" a bit away from the microphone.

She was terrified.

When Ulquiorra called she was wound up and so paranoid that she thought perhaps it wasn't him; maybe it was the same caller as before, faking Ulquiorra's number. She had heard of things like that happening a lot as part of scams to steal money from people.

Still, she needed him. She'd risk it.

Her voice was only a whisper when she answered, "Hello?"

"Woman?" Ulquiorra asked. To his ears, she sounded terrified. "What is wrong? Are you harmed?"

"I'm okay. I'm not okay. I have about thirty voicemails from an unknown number. He says he can see me," she sounded panicked. Her breathing was abnormal and her voice was reedy and thin.

He collapsed into his chair. How long was this bullshit going to continue? Why wouldn't this Titus just give up? "I had text messages from an unknown number. The person sending the messages must have blocked their number… I'm not sure but it just said Unknown. It's someone who knows about the tape or has seen it. It's that guy. I read the messages he sent to your IG account."

She took a shuddering breath. The fear and fatigue from travel and lack of sleep were taking a toll on her. "I just want to come home," she whimpered.

Ulquiorra felt his heart breaking for the woman. "Hime, please. I know you do and I want you here so I can protect you but you have a job to do. This is your last modeling gig. Because of Pauletto-it has put you in harm's way."

She sniffled. He was right. She didn't want to be a model anyway, but this whole thing was pissing her off. What right had this stalker to dictate her life to her? "I feel like maybe I should go pro just to stick it to this asshole."

"If that's how you feel then I'll support you but I don't want you to," Ulquiorra said. "I just want you here with me and safe."

"I don't, not really. I'm just angry. This isn't fair. This guy doesn't get to tell me what to do! You are the only one who gets a say…" she exhaled heavily, knowing her anger was just a distraction to keep her fear from overwhelming her.

He sighed. "I want you to turn your phone off and go to sleep after we hang up. Okay? But other than the psycho, how was your day?"

"It was fine… did you see the new IG pic? It's cold. The outerwear is adorable. The locals are not as nice as the ones on Sado Island or in Thailand. The vodka is good though."

"Heh, if I lived in Russia, I'd be pissed off too," Ulquiorra commented. "I did not see it yet. I just woke up from a good eight hours of sleep."

She smiled at that and sighed. "I'm glad to hear it. I was worried about you. I know this tape thing is worrisome but I need you… I need you to be in good condition. Okay? Promise? Anyway, I still have 29 voicemails to listen to. I really don't want to do it, but what if there is something in there that will help? Like, what if he has some kind of ransom demand or something?"

"He said he wouldn't be releasing it until you're back in Japan… but if you never come back and I have to move to cold ass Russia, I'm going to be pissed." Ulquiorra gave a chuckle. "I would tell you not to listen to them but, maybe he has made his demands known in them instead of posting them online."

"Yeah. I guess I should have bought a tablet or something. I'll try to write down everything he says. If there's anything interesting I'll let you know after I wake up, I guess." She was feeling conflicted. She knew Ulquiorra was looking out for her best interests, but she felt like he was making light of the situation. If she wasn't in Russia, she would feel like her life was at risk. As it was, she wasn't sure.

She'd never used her powers against a human before.

Ulquiorra shook his head. He didn't understand why this was happening to them. "You know… This has got to be the best and the worst week ever. It seems like it's been one thing after another. Do you want me to have a tablet shipped to your hotel?" He asked, voice filled with concern.

She smiled, and he could hear it in her voice when she answered, "I love you. Despite this stalker guy and the stress from the article and everything, this is, without a doubt, the best week of my life. I can pick up a tablet; there is a shopping center right around the corner from this hotel. It's probably easier than you having to deal with the staff here. Otherwise, I'll just borrow one from Pauletto. He has stuff laying around everywhere…"

"I understand. You're right. Could it be someone in Pauletto's group?" Ulquiorra hated to ask that but the thought occurred to him. "Could your stalker be one of your old friends? Kurosaki?"

There was a long pause, then she took a slow, deep breath. "I'll be honest… at first I thought it could be. He was… Nevermind. That has nothing to do with this. I don't think it's anyone here, either. No one here gives me a bad feeling in that way, and there was one thing about the voicemail I heard that kind of narrows it down."

Just the mental image of that orange-haired brat brought another thought to his lips. "OH! I think I figured out that thing I did to Kurosaki. I was getting angry last night and I could feel it. It reminded me of that one green guy… I forget what his name is. It's in a comic book. Anyway, the voice… What did he say to you?"

"That's great! When I get back maybe Urahara will let us test it out, _without _Kurosaki. Anyway, about the voicemail guy, it was mostly just disgusting noises and heavy breathing, but when he said, "I can see you," I noticed his Japanese was a bit… off. I think he's foreign."

It made sense. TitusSaurus's location was set in Las Vegas. Ulquiorra had heard of the place before and he knew it was somewhere far away. "You're no fun," he pouted for a moment. "If he's foreign then he's probably in another country."

"I hope not. He could be here."

"Have you done any meet and greets? Anyone recurring in your social circles who isn't normally there enough to call a friend or an acquaintance?"

"No, I keep to myself, you, and Quin. Sometimes Aki, but she's a busy lady."

His mouth drew into a thin line as he thought about this. His social circle was just about as big as hers. "I've got you. Occasionally the Quincy. Occasionally the people in my building."

The thought caused an alarm in her head. Someone in his building would have a lot of access. "Do you think… Could it be one of your neighbors? It seems like someone who lives in your building would have easy access and might know a lot about us, but I've met most of your neighbors, at least briefly, and none of them gave me any cause for concern."

"I don't think so. None of them have shown an interest in you. None of them have really shown an interest in me. It's more of a head nod and how are you today," Ulquiorra replied. "What about the people in your building or at school?"

"No, it's mostly grannies in our building and most of them think Quin and I are a young married couple," she paused to cackle at the idea. "And I have yet to meet a straight man in my department. I know they exist sometimes, but in my experience, it would be more likely to find a unicorn than a man who wants me at school."

Well, those avenues of thinking were dead ends. "You sound tired, Orihime. Don't worry about this. We will find out who is behind this and when I find out who it is, I'm going to-to-Right, murder is wrong. I'll figure it out. For now, I'm going to let you go. Turn your phone off and get some sleep."

"Ok. Goodnight, I love you."

After he hung up, and after what he had said about his power, she felt somewhat emboldened. She found the notepad the hotel provided on the desk in her room and pen and put her phone on speaker, and let the voicemails play.

She did not like what she heard.

She had to listen multiple times to write down everything. Most of it was worthless, just a man obviously masturbating and breathing heavily, for the first four or five messages at least. Then he started to talk. After she wrote everything down, she looked at the pages of notepad paper.

_\- You can't hide from me._

_\- I know how it looks to be inside of you._

_\- I could be inside of you_

_\- If you let me in I can make things go away_

_\- I can make him go away._

_\- He's a monster._

_\- __I could make you feel good._

_\- I would fuck you to death you stupid bitch_

_\- All you need to do is say yes_

_\- __None of his magic tricks can save you._

_\- I'll fuck you 'til you bleed_

_\- I want to see if your blood is as red as your hair._

_\- WHY DON'T YOU ANSWER ME!?_

_\- ANSWER ME, WHORE_

_\- You're my whore. You were mine first._

_\- I don't want to share you. _

_\- Just be with me. I'll make it go away._

He repeated himself a lot. She rewrote her list onto one page in legible handwriting, took a picture and sent it to Ulquiorra, then fell asleep.

* * *

Titus had it set up so he got a notification every time Miss Inoue had a new picture uploaded to the cloud service. He was disappointed to find the words he had said written down. It was a stupid move. He done it on an impulse, just like sending texts to the man.

But dammit, he was right!

Cifer was a monster and he was unnatural. The man's eyes were unnatural. He'd seen the pupils constrict and widen. If they really were contacts then they the eyes would stay the same. How did someone become that pale and pasty looking?

Titus had seen her first. He's the one who left his entire life behind so that he could be with Miss Inoue. He would be willing to give the woman anything. What did Cifer have that he didn't? He decided to send a text to her.

_\- Meet me and I won't release the "tapes". Sleep with me once and I won't tarnish your name and ruin your career._

* * *

Figurines he had perched on the bookshelves went smashing to the floor. He broke dishes. Anger was not descriptive enough to call this sensation that coursed through his body. When Ulquiorra was through trashing everything except his computer, desk and canvases, he was still livid. He'd gotten that text about an hour ago. Those words burned him from the inside out.

He wanted to scream and yell. HOW DARE SOMEONE SAY THAT TO HER! It made his blood boil. Whomever this Titus person thought he was, he was going to be dead if Ulquiorra ever found out his identity.

Ulquiorra wanted to take the woman and cart her off to Hueco Mundo. They would only have to deal with soul sucking Hollows not people who wanted to make her bleed or threaten her with death.

This irate feeling in his chest kept building. He knew his spiritual pressure was spiking, Ulquiorra could feel it ebb and flow. It would increase as soon as he saw the message on his phone.

How the fuck was this asshole going to make him go away? How did this fucker know he was a monster?

He wanted to kill.

Ulquiorra's phone rang which instantly distracted him. He looked at the screen and glared. "What, Quincy?"

"What is going on with you? I can feel your spiritual pressure all the way over in Shibuya. Do you need help?"

The anger was gone; the wind taken from Ulquiorra's sails. "No, Orihime and I have a problem. It's making me irrational. Has she told you what is going on?"

"No, I said goodbye before you saw her off to the station and that's the last I heard from her. Do I need to be worried?"

"Pauletto's contract requires Orihime to have a social media account… She has acquired a stalker. This person has obtained some explicit pictures of us together and has threatened to release them to the public," Ulquiorra explained. "He has also called her, sent her texts and has sent texts to me."

"Shit. Listen, you have to get the information gathered together and get it to the police. Do you know what this guy wants?"

Ulquiorra huffed. "No, and the voicemails he left Orihime are… They're disturbing. I don't know if the police will help in this matter because the man is based in Las Vegas? I'm not entirely sure of that but it's what I've been able to gather."

"Well, be that as it may, unless there is a specific reason you don't want the police involved, you should present them with what you have to build a case against this guy."

"Most of the evidence is on Orihime's phone."

"Maybe I should come over. You seem unstable. Even now your reiatsu is frenetic. You could attract hollows with what you're doing. I don't blame you given the circumstances but I don't think your situation is safe right now."

He sighed again. Ulquiorra pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't want company, Ishida. Besides, I can literally feel that stupid Shinigami sitting above me on the roof. As soon as I started destroying stuff, he showed up. You could call Orihime whenever she wakes up. I'm trying to handle this and I can't...She's scared and I'm of no help because all I feel is this blood lust. I had an idea it was Kurosaki doing this but she said it wasn't him. Do you think it could be Grimmjow's doing?"

Uryu sighed and knit his brows. "No, I don't think so, and I very much doubt Kurosaki is involved; he would never be able to think of something this complicated," he sighed again. "I'm going to call Hime. I'll talk to her and calm her down, so relax about that, okay? In the meantime, you said he threatened her, right? And you don't know who this guy is and there is nothing you can do. You need to find a way to channel your feelings. Your reaction is intense, but it's normal. I'm not in love with her and I want to hurt this guy too."

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. Ishida knew how to put things in a straightforward manner. "What do you suggest I do? Write my feelings down?" he snapped.

"No, I suggest you find the Visoreds and work on getting your little green lasso to come on command. You might need it when you finally find this guy," Quin said calmly, but the deadly intent was clear.

When he was an Arrancar, Ulquiorra had heard of the Visoreds that the Quincy spoke of. Aizen said they were horrible Shinigami who tried to kill him and were eventually exiled to the Word of the Living. He scowled. "I'll think about it. I've sent everything I have on this guy to my PR person who is also doing her own investigation. So I'm not being totally useless."

"I know you wouldn't be useless. You're not Kurosaki." Quin didn't know why it was so important to him to soothe Ulquiorra other than he did not want Orihime to be devastated when the green-eyed man was eaten by a Menos. But there was something else in how Ulquiorra's spiritual pressure felt and how his voice sounded that made him feel a lot of compassion for the man. Before he knew it, he had decided to do what he could to help his newly betrothed friends. "Okay, anyway, call me if you need anything. I'm going to call Orihime and I'll talk to you later. By the way, I doubt you've had time to read the dailies, but congratulations. People won't stop talking about your show."

He hadn't even thought about that. "Thanks, I guess. All the credit goes to Orihime for the idea. I'm gonna go to Karakura and talk to the stupid shop owner."

"Yeah. She's something special. DO NOT talk to Urahara. I don't think he is trustworthy. Orihime knows where the Visoreds are. I'll ask her and text you the address."

Well, duh. Ulquiorra already knew that Urahara wasn't to be trusted but he wasn't exactly on friendly terms with Kurosaki. "Fine, I'll sit here and paint while I wait," he muttered.

After they hung up, Uryu looked at his clock. 11:00 a.m. It would be five in the morning in St. Petersburg. He decided to wait a few hours before calling Orihime. At 2:00, he did. She explained what happened, he tried to comfort her and told her that Ulquiorra was suffering. He knew she had her own feelings to worry about but she deserved to know how her fiance felt. He told her about the success of the show too, and asked if there were any new developments on her side.

She told him the whereabouts of the Visoreds and about the text she received from Titus. He asked her to forward it to him, and ended the call. Quin read the text decided that this was information best transmitted in person, given the circumstances.

* * *

He tried to paint. He tried using that fancy drawing tablet to work on some more digital artwork. Ulquiorra could not continue sitting there and do nothing.

The text came through a while he was on the train to Karakura anyway. He lied to the Quincy because one way or another he was going to get some kind of answers from someone.

Uryu felt Ulquiorra's spiritual pressure moving out of town. _Shit. _ He decided to try to beat him to Karakura. Using Hirenkyaku, he traveled to a train station several stops ahead of Ulquiorra and boarded a train, hiding his spiritual pressure the whole time. He wanted to be waiting at the Karakura when Ulquiorra arrived.

As soon as he was out of the train, Ulquiorra saw the Quincy leaning against a wall. That fucker. It was to be expected. The man probably had more spiritual awareness than Orihime. All he had used his for was to choke Kurosaki and somehow heighten his orgasm with the woman. The two incidences weren't in any way related but he didn't use his reiatsu much. Other than doing that flash step, he saw no need to exert it. He gave the man an annoyed look. "I'm fine, Ishida. I can do things on my own."

"I know you can, but I know something you don't, and I think it will speed things up considerably. Shall we?" the Quincy asked, taking to the sky on footholds made of spirit particles.

Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed. "What do you know that I don't?" He called upward.

"Keep up, if you can. I'll tell you when we get there," he answered and was gone.

All Ulquiorra had to do was feel for the man's energy and he blurred, catching up to him a second later.

"Impressive. I'd like to see a drag race between you and Kurosaki some day. The only thing he is really good for is speed, you know," he said as he stepped lightly from one rooftop to another.

The artist smirked for a moment before he followed after Ishida. "Kurosaki's been useless for years," Ulquiorra stated. "What are Visoreds? I know what Aizen told the Espada but do you know?"

"They are basically Arrancars made backwards. Like Kurosaki, they are shinigami who have been hollowfied. They had been cast out of Soul Society and were in hiding here in Karakura for over a century. After Aizen was exposed, they were extended a welcome back. Three accepted. The rest maintain a grudge against Soul Society. That's why I recommended coming to them instead of Urahara. They won't tattle."

Tattle? Had Urahara already told the Soul Society he was alive and had powers? This was wonderful. Not only did Ulquiorra have to worry about Kurosaki telling Grimmjow he was alive, now he had this information. "I suppose if Kurosaki is a hollowfied Shinigami then that explains how he beat me. He's still an asshole."

"Agreed. He and Urahara are opportunists. They'll do whatever is in their own self-interests regardless of how it will affect anyone else. When Urahara told you to keep your head down, I think he meant to protect your secret, by the way, but only because he loves secrets. If for whatever reason Soul Society dangles something in front of him that is more appealing than your secret, he'll sell you down the river. That is why you shouldn't make yourself interesting to him. If he forgets about you, all the better."

He was always something to use; a pawn. Ulquiorra shook his head. He had decided that no one would use him that's why he hardly had any friends. "I don't see how going to these people will help track down the guy harassing my fiancee."

"They won't. They just have a facility that will allow you to completely hide your spiritual pressure while you learn how to harness your power, in case you need it to take that guy down."

"The guy is some stupid human. I know how to unleash it. All I have to do is become irate and want to murder people. As soon as I find out who is doing this to Orihime, I'm just going to find the nearest-Oh maybe I should buy a sword… Can you buy a sword in Japan?" Ulquiorra's voice was dead serious.

Uryu grinned at his companion. "You've been reborn in the right country, my friend. The absolute best sword makers," he cleared his throat, "I mean_knifemakers _, reside here. Most places don't advertise anything that you wouldn't use in a kitchen. Plus there are swords all over the place, it'd be easy to get your hands on one."

"It won't be Murcielago but having something I can swing around would be better than trying to stab this guy with a kitchen accessory. If I do find out where he's at, I plan on seeing him bleed," Ulquiorra said matter of factly.

Ishida didn't say anything at first. He had mixed feeling about what Ulquiorra said. After a few minutes he said, "Well, let the punishment fit the crime, don't you think? So far he's only made threats, right?"

It didn't matter if Titus made threats. The fact that the male had thought of his woman in that manner and had the balls to show her his dick was-Ulquiorra had to calm down again as he felt his reiatsu spike. "I can't talk about it right now."

Truer words were never spoken, the Quincy thought as he came to a stop over a warehouse and descended to the ground. "We're here," he said. When Ulquiorra was on the ground, he added, "I asked Orihime to tell them to expect us. She is friendly with Hachigen. The others… They're a mixed bag."

"Who the hell are you?" a small, snaggletooth blonde asked. "What the fuck do you want? We ain't buying bullshit today."

Ulquiorra turned to Ishida with a raised eyebrow. "A mixed bag, eh?"

Uryu spoke to Ulquiorra in an aside, "At least she hasn't called us bald yet," then turned to the woman. "Good afternoon, Hiyori. Orihime should have told you to expect us? I'm Ishida and this is Cifer. We need a space to practice without Soul Society knowing."

At that a large, egg-shaped man emerged from the building. "Oh, yes, Inoue told us to expect you. Please come in," the humpty-dumpty-imposter said.

"No one told me to expect anyone!" Hiyori yelled. "This isn't a damn facility you can rent out! Why not take your Quincy ass and-What are you exactly?"

Ulquiorra looked at the female. "Shouldn't you be in school?" he asked. That was obviously the wrong thing to say because it just caused the blonde to yell more. In the end, Ishida and Ulquiorra were shown to the basement of the dilapidated warehouse. He told the Visoreds what happened and what Orihime did. He spun the tale of the fight and how he had this power that was probably unlocked while he was angry because the several times he'd experienced it was when he'd been mad.

"Big deal, you're some kind of freak like Kurosaki," Hiyori stated.

The green-eyed man squinted at the small Visored and then glanced at the big guy. "We-No, I need some assistance unlocking this power that I have. I need to be able to use it whenever I can."

"I'm still confused about you. You said you had no power previous to your death?"

"I'm a former Espada-"

Immediately a zanpakuto was drawn and forced to his throat. The point was very close to piercing his skin. Hiyori was wearing a mask too. "What did you say?" she asked.

"I'm a former Esp-Would you let me fucking explain before you take my head off?" Ulquiorra snapped. "Kurosaki killed me in Hueco Mundo. I know I was supposed to go to hell when I died but I found myself inside of a body four years ago. I'd been redeemed. I was human. I'm known as C. Murcielago, the artist."

"Ooooh, did someone say Murcielago?" This time a dark-haired man with sunglasses popped out of nowhere.

It made Ulquiorra startle and jump. "Who are you? How many Visoreds are there?"

"I'm Love and there's only eight of us. Five are in the soul society. The three of us hang out here. Welcome man. You're that artist everyone loves because of the shock factor you dish out."

"Yes, I am."

"Can I get an autograph-"

"Shut it Love!" Hiyori shouted. "Does it say Shinigami training somewhere on our building? Because this has happened two too many times in the past decade."

Ulquiorra turned and looked at Ishida. "I'd much rather take my chances with Urahara than these delinquents.."

The egg-man finally spoke, "A friend of Inoue Orihime is a friend of mine. My fellow barrier-wielder requires assistance, and it _shall _be provided. Excuse Hiyori, Cifer Ulquiorra. She is a mental midget. I will shut her out. Will you be joining us, Ishida Uryu?"

The Quincy nodded.

The egg-man nodded and placed the palms of his hands together and spoke an incantation, and a large cube of spiritual energy formed around the trio, completely blocking out the sights and sounds of the outside world. "I will sit here and meditate. If you require active assistance, you need only ask," he said before closing his eyes and, by all appearances, entered a state of hibernation.

Okay now they had quiet, Ulquiorra still didn't know how to unlock this stupid chokehold thing.

"I have something for you. Now, remember not to shoot the messenger, alright?" Quin said as he took out a balloon and blew it up, affixing it to a spike of spiritual energy. "Now, this is Orihime's stalker. Try to do your thing."

Just the mention of the man, made anger and rage boil inside of him. His fist clenched and he sneered.

"Okay, good. I'm going to send you a text now, read it and try again." Ishida sent the message the stalker had sent Orihime offering to keep quiet and not release the tapes if she agreed to sleep with him.

Ulquiorra's spiritual pressure dropped to almost nothing as he pulled his phone out. As he read the message, his face contorted into an expression of fury. The phone cracked as his hand tightened around it. The artist could feel the pressure burning in his chest. With his other hand, Ulquiorra brought those green tendrils out, shooting them at the Quincy. He was so blind with rage that it didn't matter who he attacked.

Uryu was prepared for this possibility, but not for the power and speed with which Ulquiorra attacked. He managed to just dodge the tethers of energy, but not before some got ahold of his collar and glasses, ripping his shirt and bending his frames. "What the fuck, you dick?! I told you not to shoot the messenger!"

He didn't give a fuck. Messenger. Stalker. Whomever messed with his life or his woman was going to die. His eyes took on a funny shade of yellowish green and he narrowed his gaze at Ishida. More emerald green jets of energy came out, darting after the other male. "You saw what happened to Kurosaki. I want to make it clear what happens when people think they can take her away from me!"

"Nobody here is taking her away from you, Cifer. Harness your energy. Control it. The balloon is your enemy. The balloon wants to take her away. What do we do to evil balloons?"

A snarl left his throat. "That balloon isn't breathing. You have history with her."

"Oh for god's sake, is that what this is about? Am I going to have to wear you out before you can be made to use your brain or can we get a grip on our jealous streak?" Uryu could guess what the answer was, unfortunately. He raised a bow and shot an arrow at Ulquiorra's feet. "Better move if you want to keep your shoes intact," the Quincy taunted.

"Ah, that won't be necessary, Ishida," Hacchi intoned from where he was sitting with his eyes closed and hands folded. "Can you feel that? Cifer's spiritual energy… It's much like Inoue's. In fact I say they're meshed together somewhat. Also there's a hollow there and a touch of Shinigami… I'm getting a hint of Kurosaki's pressure."

"What is this, a wine tasting? Next you're going to tell me there is a nice spicy finish. What are you getting at, Hachi?" Ishida asked, somewhat irritated.

One eye peered at the Quincy. "Cifer and Inoue are fused together. His spiritual pressure is hers. He's protecting what's his. That's why he feels so strongly. Is that right Cifer?"

A growl was rumbling from him as he once again brought his hand up, this time pointing it at Hacchi.

"I would not do that Cifer."

Ulquiorra didn't listen and he found himself flat on his back gasping for breath. The spike of spiritual pressure was gone along with the anger he felt. "What-did-you-fucking-do?" he asked in between gasps.

"Kido," the big man answered. "You need to focus on Ishida's words. He's trying to help you."

"Thanks," Quin said to the egg-shaped man. "How do you feel now, Cifer?"

"Like… I've been hit… by a bus," Ulquiorra managed to say. It took him a few minutes to be able to sit up. He was still trying to make his lungs work. "How am I supposed to harness something I cannot control? All I experience is blind rage."

Quin had always been a know-it-all. That he did not have an answer for this question irked him, but he'd be damned if he didn't at least try. "Good question. Ultimately I think only you can answer it. However, based on what Hacchi said, perhaps you should try focusing on Orihime, and not yourself. He said your spiritual energy is fused. If that is the case, no one can really take her away from you, can they? Maybe use that idea to fortify your resolve instead of letting the fear of breaking that bond break your mind. I dunno."

The green-eyed man scoffed. He wasn't afraid… not really. He just didn't want any harm to come to Orihime. He cleared his throat and stood. Ulquiorra looked down at his wrist to see the bracelet that he hadn't taken off since the night she gave it to him. He had to do this; to protect Orihime, he had to control this; to avenge the slights against his woman, he had to figure this out.

He shook himself out and then looked at Ishida. Titus. The texts. The threats. Ulquiorra's face was set in a hard expression. "Let's do this."

Quin grinned. "Alright. Balloon man. Go."

* * *

Balloon man lasted about .007 of a second. Afterward Ishida had finally put Ulquiorra through his paces, testing his speed and reflexes under a barrage of arrows. Then they focused on his control of the green energy. At first it was chaotic, but after about an hour, Ulquiorra was able to grab an object Uryu had thrown into the air with it. He still was not able to catch one of the Quincy's arrows as it flew, but he was on track.

Uryu had the impression that the more focused and detailed the task he set for Ulquiorra, the better the green-eyed man was able to control his energy toward the task and leave his emotions out of it. By the time the next hour was up, he was feeling pretty confident.

"Alright, Cifer, shall we try again? Do you think you can handle me talking about your girl without you trying to murder me?"

"What are you going to say about her?" Ulquiorra asked. He was watching the rock he had pinched between two tendrils of energy. They were almost like fingers.

"Depends. What do you want to know? Ask me anything. I'll tell you the truth. Maybe be on standby for this, Hacchi."

"She's never gone into specifics with what happened between you two. How far did it go?" Ulquiorra asked. He remembered the first photo he'd gotten from the redhead was her with messy hair and Ishida's head in the frame. His tone turned angry. "You're _gay _but fooling around with a woman? Were you _that _lonely? Did you do it for the shock factor? Wanted to try a female out before you committed to dick? I know that you two didn't fuck because I took her virginity but how far did it go? You know how much you fucking hurt her by just fooling around with her?"

Uryu gave his sparring partner a half-smile and paced a bit as he considered his answer. "Hacchi, if you please," he said, and a wall formed between the two dark-haired males.

Quin turned to face Ulquiorra and knit his brows. "Orihime Inoue was my first love. I loved her. I love her still." He paused to allow the most shocking of his words to wash over the former Espada.

It started with just the corner of his lip curling upward. Ulquiorra flung the rock his phantom fingers were holding at the pink-haired man's barrier barely nicking the thing. "You're a fucking coward, Ishida. Lower the shield."

Ishida's chin raised and he looked down his nose at Ulquiorra, ignoring his outburst. "But you are correct, I am gay. I didn't always know that, though. There's not a handbook they pass out at school with a multiple-choice test to determine your sexuality. I had to learn over time that my love for Orihime was not sexual. She is precious to me. She is the closest thing to family that I have ever had. I have deep affection for her. I'm sorry I hurt her. Any other questions?"

"That doesn't fucking answer any question I asked. How far did you take it?" Ulquiorra snapped. If he was going to put his paranoia about the man and his fascination with his girlfriend to rest, the Quincy had to lay it all out for him. He started pacing on the other side of that shield like a caged lion.

"I kissed her. I touched her breasts and sometimes we would… um, get entangled. Clothes stayed on. Mostly."

Ulquiorra could see the green ribbons of spiritual pressure surrounding his fingers and hands. He looked at Quin, fighting down the urge to strangle the man. The past was in the past. That was what was important. Orihime was with him and would always be with him. He took a deep breath and exhaled, letting the reiatsu disappear. "No more sleeping in her bed when you're home, asshole."

"You don't have a clue, Cifer. She laid down that law a long time ago, right after the first time she slept over at your place. You are never going to find someone more loyal than her."

He knew that was the truth. Orihime could have gone out and fucked anyone she wanted while they were broken up… Both times. She didn't though. Ulquiorra nodded. "I know and I don't plan on finding anyone else. I just needed to know that you two were friends and nothing more. You've told me. It's done. There's not a damn thing I can do about it and I have to accept that."

"I have a question for you now, since we're doing the whole heart to heart thing," Ishida said, looking at Ulquiorra sideways.

"Tch," he snorted. Ulquiorra glared at Ishida. "What? I don't consider this a heart to heart because we're not friends. Sworn enemies, remember? I cut your hand off."

Uryu narrowed his eyes and a look of hurt crossed his face for a split second before it was replaced with irritation. "Fine, have it your way. In that case, since we're speaking of sworn enemies, let me ask you this: Did you know it was Yui and Kurosaki that followed you around and took pictures of you and that skanky bitch at Aquamarine? He's the one who sent them to Orihime."

He regretted the words before they were even out of his mouth but he was incensed.

"Oh c'mon you bitched the entire time you had to babysit me when Grimmjow was playing his stupid game. You always bitch!" Ulquiorra shook his head irritated then he heard the rest of what the man said. In an instant, Ulquiorra's side of the cube was filled with a brilliant green light. It wasn't just one or two finger-like jets that went flying at that screen. Somehow Ulquiorra sent a huge beam at Hacchi's barrier, putting a crack in it. "What the fuck did you say? Let me out of here! Kurosaki is a dead man! Yui is a fucking dead whore!"

Uryu rolled his eyes, but was desperately glad that the barrier had held. "You go ahead and get that out of your system, Ulquiorra. You're not killing anyone today. Besides, have you forgotten so easily the reason why we're here? There is a much more imminent threat"

"No, never. Titus has been on my fucking mind since I found out about him. I have to go to Orihime." Ulquiorra looked at Quin, his expression was serious but his eyes showed what he was really feeling. Since there was no more rage he couldn't hide it under the anger. The other man had been right. The artist was terrified but not for the reasons he thought.

Uryu regarded Ulquiorra for a moment. "I'm glad to hear it. Do you even have a passport? What do you intend to do? Orihime is only scheduled to be in St. Petersburg for three more days and then she's bound for Mongolia. I think she'll be safe there. I think your efforts would be better spent tracking this stalker guy down, starting with the evidence. Have you had an IT person look at it?"

"Duh." He rolled his eyes. Ulquiorra had a passport. Hirano made him get one and he hated the damn process. He had to find some contacts that made his pupils round instead of the slits they were and the damn things were uncomfortable. "I'm sure the PR Bitch is working on it. I don't know who the hell to go to. All I know is that she's scared and it doesn't seem like this guy is playing around. She sent me the transcriptions from his voicemails."

"And?" Uryu was afraid to ask, based on Ulquiorra's tone alone.

"My phone is on your side of this thing. Get it. The code is 0-9-0-3."

Ishida did as he was told. His face went from disgust to fury to terror. He set the phone down.

"Give your PR lady my number. Tell her I'm at her disposal. Do you want me to call a travel agent while you pack?"


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 38: When The Pieces Come Together**

Ulquiorra didn't really pack much. He threw a couple pairs of jeans, some t-shirts, socks, and other shit he would need in a backpack. He made sure to throw his toothbrush in there. Hirano made the arrangements, buying him his ticket. He got the information about where Orihime was staying from Quin, although the man bitched about it, stating that he should just stay there.

He had to stop and buy a new phone before he took the train to the airport. With the screen cracked as it was, it kept flickering in and out.

Before he left, Ulquiorra knocked on The Novelist's door. Theo opened the door just enough to peek out.

"Murcielago, can I help you?"

"I'm going away for a couple days," Ulquiorra said. "If anyone or anything strange happens, could you notify me? I think you have my email address from my business card. I even think my number is on there."

"Sure, sure. No worries. I'll make sure to do that if anything comes up. I'd invite you in but I've got-"

"No it's okay, I'm on my way to the airport."

* * *

He could not sleep during the fourteen hour flight, and when he landed and gave the information to the taxi driver, Ulquiorra felt about dead on his feet. He texted Orihime using his new phone. He'd grumbled that physical altercations were not covered by his insurance plan for the device.

The picture he sent along with the text showed him posing in front of the hotel where she was staying.

_\- Fuck, it's cold. I may need to buy a coat._

Orihime was beside herself when she got his message. She had just made it back up to her room after being done for the day, but she grabbed her Pauletto coat and ran back to the elevator. She spotted Ulquiorra entering the lobby when she arrived and ambushed him, jumping onto his back after throwing the coat onto his shoulders. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" she asked, her voice trembling.

He chuckled and shrugged. "Wanted to surprise you, I guess," Ulquiorra said as he got her off his back and turned to look at her. "Anything new on your end?"

"Um, other than you're here? No. I have had my phone silenced unless it is from you, Quin, or Pauletto. I didn't want to freak out while I was working. And I haven't posted anything online for the past two days. Pauletto hasn't noticed yet."

"That's a good thing," he said but his tone was questioning. "Quin and I visited the Visoreds. We think we got my thing working."

Her eyes became the size of saucers as she looked at him with shock, then shook her head and laughed at herself. "OH! _That _thing."

Ulquiorra's forehead wrinkled. What thing could he possibly be talking about? "Um, the Kurosaki choke hold… thing… Where is your mind at, Woman?"

She blushed and pursed her lips. "Well, last time I wasn't around, you had a problem with another thing not working, so that's the first, um,_ thing _that came to mind… It doesn't make sense though, ha ha."

His brow arched. "No. No. Nooooooo. Quin is gay-I'm only interested in you and I don't even like him as a friend. No. No, we got my powers under control. He showed me that text and Quin told me what Kurosaki and Yui did."

She looked contrite. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I never asked or responded to him, and he never said he was the one who did it, but who else would, right? I just didn't want to start a war."

"It's okay, Orihime. Let me check into my room and get something to eat, okay? We can talk about stuff then."

"Hold on, Mister. You are staying in my room," she informed him in no uncertain terms.

"That's a shame because I reserved a room with a hot tub in it," Ulquiorra smirked at her. "I guess I can stay in your room."

"I think you misheard me. I said, "hold on Mister, I need to clear my stuff out of my room"."

Ulquiorra laughed and kissed her. "Do you need help with that? I'm also going to need to go shopping while I'm here. All I have is this backpack of stuff."

She nodded. "Yeah, I could use a hand. If you want to wait until tomorrow you can see if Pauletto has anything you like that he's done with and then we can go shopping, or you can go while I'm working."

"Woman, I don't plan on letting you leave my sight. Pauletto is gonna have to make do with having me around."

She just about melted. He came all this way just to make her feel safe? To make himself feel unworried? Either way it was adorable and made her smile at him like he could do no wrong. "I do not have a problem with that. Pauletto can bitch all he wants. Although I think he'll be more likely to ask you to join the shoot, if only just for fun. Don't let him pressure you if you don't want to. He can be very persuasive."

Ulquiorra gave her a look. He would contemplate the idea, if asked. "As long as I'm posing with you I'd be fine with it. I mean it's not like Pauletto is designing male underwear or swimsuits. You guys did that stuff in Thailand."

She laughed. "He's probably done with all that, unless he's got some fur-lined underwear…" A twinkle came to her eye. "But you probably remember what that's like. Your fur came up to about here," she said, poking him in the navel.

"I could not be indecent in front of innocent eyes. When I was a Vasto Lorde I had no fur; just the hair on my head." Ulquiorra brought her closer as they moved to the check in desk. Moments later he had the keycard and pulled Orihime into the elevator with him. "Please tell me you're not entertaining that asshole's demand, are you?"

Her expression fell but she shook her head. "I would rather die," she said quietly. It wasn't a bold declaration. It was simply the truth.

He nodded. Ulquiorra had a feeling that would be her answer but he had to make sure. "I would not allow you to die. I'm worried what will happen to you if the tape is released."

"Well, it would be a little embarrassing to have all of me so out there, and I don't like the idea of people watching our intimacy, but it's not the worst thing in the world. I mean, I'm not embarrassed about what we did in the tape. I'm not ashamed if people know about it."

"Orihime, if that gets out, then that means Kurosaki, Urahara… _anyone _… Could see you. The idea makes me want to hurt someone. I want to end this Titus' life."

"I understand the impulse, but you can't just _kill _someone, even if they are doing something bad. It's murder. Besides, let those perverts see me. They'll see who I'm with, too."

He scoffed. "And invite more stalkers and admirers into the fold? Why not just do porn? I'm sure we've both had enough offers. We could release it and make money off of it. I'm sure someone would purchase it." Ulquiorra was trying to maintain his composure.

"No, you're right. I don't want anyone to see it. I just feel so powerless, you know?" she looked down at her feet and twisted her mouth around, thinking. "I feel like there's nothing I can do, so I should try to look at the bright side. It's not very bright though. I mean, what if someone at the college sees it? What if… oh god. What if we had a kid one day and they saw it?" she shuddered as if to shake something off of her. "Is there nothing we can do? Do any hackers live in your building full of weirdos?"

Slowly his head shook from side to side. "The only one that I can think of that can navigate a computer would be The Novelist, whose name is Theo, by the way. He seems like a tech-savvy guy." Ulquiorra pressed his lips together. "Quin's helping Hirano to figure this out. H says that we should go to the police with the information that we have."

"I don't know if it's such a great idea. One thing that he said has been bothering me. He called you a magician and talked about your magic tricks. What do you think he's talking about? Do you think he has spiritual awareness?"

The thought absolutely floored him and when they got to Orihime's floor, Ulquiorra stood there for a moment before walking out of the elevator. "Magic tricks? I've never… No… I use flash step only when I'm hidden-well I used it in public with Ishida the other day but he was testing my abilities. I only try using my shield in my apartment. No one should be able to see me when I do that. Could it be the Shinigami?"

"You mean the Koenji Shinigami? I mean, maybe, but I really doubt he would feel the need to stoop to such levels. He could just kidnap me like Grimmjow did without fear of consequences. No… this is a person with human limitations I think… You only practice in your…" Orihime stopped and her eyes lit up in understanding. "Have you asked Hirano to sweep your apartment for bugs or cameras?"

Ulquiorra scowled. "Bugs? There is no infestation in my apartment… And wouldn't I be able to see the cameras?"

"No, there is surveillance equipment that can be hidden well enough to be invisible to the naked eye. It could be anywhere. Someone could have hacked the built-in camera on your computer, too."

Pulling out his phone, the green-eyed man texted Hirano with this information. "Hirano knows about me now… She doesn't know the gritty details but she knows my name is not Cifer Murcielago. I told her there were some guys after me who wanted me dead and I was in hiding from them."

"Well, I hope she finds something. We only have 12 days until I'm due back in Japan. I don't know how to proceed. Should I _act _receptive? Should I try to flirt and gain his trust? Should I just avoid contact? What do you think I should do?"

A sigh left him. Ulquiorra was tired. He was worried. He didn't want to deal with some fuckhead who thought he could take his fiancee away from him. "I honestly don't know what to do, Orihime. I just wish this guy would go away but I think if you ignore him, it will make this worse. The threats might become reality. You said he spoke Japanese to you? Could you tell anything else about him? What was he doing?"

"Masturbating. Typing. Taking out garbage? Walking down stairs? I still have the voicemails, you can listen…"

Ulquiorra could not hold back the sneer that crossed his face. It wasn't directed at the woman but just the mention of those words… It made that same rage well into his brain and chest. He handed her the other keycard and turned back to the elevator. "I need to calm down. When you're ready, just come up. I-I-I can't… not right now."

She could feel his spiritual pressure. It was much stronger than she had felt it before, and much more hollow. She nodded her understanding. "I love you. I'll give you a few minutes, okay?" she said.

Once he got to his room a couple of floors above Orihime's, Ulquiorra threw his bag next to the bed then flopped down onto the surface. Maybe it was because he was tired, but he shouldn't have let that get to him. The idea of Orihime flirting with Titus made him see red. He wanted to satisfy this bloodlust. He closed his eyes, trying to meditate like Hacchi had suggested. He needed to examine his own spiritual pressure.

Right now it was a ball of chaos wanting to lash out at him. That wasn't a good thing. All the progress he and the Quincy made seemed to melt away at the sight of Orihime. He had to focus. What had Ishida told him? Ulquiorra had to harness and control his reiatsu. If he just let it consume him, he would be unstable and likely impossible to stop.

Eventually, he got off the bed and went into the bathroom to take a shower. He came out with a towel around his waist and one around his neck, hair still dripping wet.

Orihime came to the door, inserting her keycard and sniffed around for Ulquiorra's reiatsu as she opened the door. It was still troubled but not nearly as reactive as it had been at her door. She had found a trolly for her bags and was currently trying to push it through the doorway without knocking anything over. "I'm here," she called out. "You feeling any better?"

Ulquiorra had changed into a pair of sweatpants but was still shirtless. He came out of the bathroom, only to find some big metal cart in his way. He had told her that would help her with her bags. He didn't do that, too busy having a pity party for himself. He gave a one-shoulder shrug. "I'm not as murderous. I have to wonder if that's going to happen every time I get angry."

'Well, you know what they say, practice makes perfect. I'm sure you weren't always so great at swordplay or sex or anything like you eventually became. Controlling your reactions and emotions works the same way. And look, you didn't kill anyone or blame someone else for your outburst. That's already progress," she smiled, looking at his bare torso and letting her gaze smolder. "I've missed you," she purred, twisting the ring on her left hand, a behavior that was was quickly becoming a habit whenever she thought about him.

He did not miss the action and he held up his right arm which had the bracelet on it. A smirked crossed his face. "I missed you too although you've not been gone long."

"Hey, I have an idea. I don't know if it will work, but we could try. Come here," she beckoned.

The last idea she had had landed them in hot water but he did as Orihime asked, moving over to her quickly. He had to trust her. "What's your idea?"

"Give me your hand," she said, holding out her left. He placed his right hand into it and she hovered her fingertips over the bracelet he wore. "I don't know if this will work at all, and if it does, it will probably wear off over time, but it's kind of a nice idea, so that when we're separated we're not really alone." As she spoke, she focused a tiny shield over his bracelet, using the triangular surface like a funnel to coil a small, amber thread of her spiritual energy around the silver object until it glowed gold. She kept this up for about two minutes and stopped, watching as the gold slowly faded back to silver like a stubborn ember on a candlewick.

"There, feel it. I'm there." she said with a small smile, looking up at him expectantly.

"Oh," he murmured glancing at her and then at the bracelet. He certainly felt her presence infused with the piece of jewelry. He raised an eyebrow though. "Do you plan on being separated from me again? Unless they're gigs in Tokyo or a neighboring prefecture, I won't mind."

A dark thought flickered over her face. "No, I don't plan on it. But you never know…"

"I never know what? You said having a relationship while being a model was a hindrance. Don't think I won't chase after you, Woman."

She smiled and sighed at that. "Modeling isn't what I was talking about. I mean…" she didn't want to trigger him again. "I don't want you to feel lonely if something happens with this Titus."

He glared. "There is nothing going to happen to you. I'll-" Ulquiorra took a deep breath. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. That would be shitty of me since you did all you did to protect me from Grimmjow and bring me back to life. If something would happen to you, I'm not sticking around in this life to live it without you."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry to keep bringing it up. I'm just freaked out." She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest. She listened to his heartbeat and breathed his scent, letting the heat from his freshly washed skin relax her. "I know that if you're here, I'm safe. I know that. I just need to let it sink in that you're actually _here _." She closed her eyes and pressed a little bit more firmly into his body.

"Do you want to just go to bed?" she asked after a few minutes.

He nodded. "I've not slept much since Wednesday but I want to hold you first." Ulquiorra wrapped his arms around the tiny woman, letting his lips rest on her red hair. His voice was quiet. "I'm going to stop whomever is doing this, I hope you realize that. No one gets to threaten you and live."

She shook her head slightly. "You can't protect me from all the weirdos. There are too many. Still," she paused to squeeze him, "thank you."

He replied by hugging her tighter. "Ishida and I had a talk. He said he would answer any question I had for him. He says he loved you… or is still in love with you but you're more of a sister or family member now." Ulquiorra looked down at Orihime with a questioning look. "He told me how far it went. I told him how much that hurt you."

A small smile graced her lips as she held his gaze. "It did hurt, but not overtly. I didn't really realize how it hurt me until I put a stop to it. I had nothing to compare it with. Not until you came back into my life."

"We at least have an understanding with each other," Ulquiorra stated. He frowned. "I, uh, think I might have hurt his feelings, because I told him we weren't friends. But it seems like all he does is bitch when I'm around."

Her smile widened and she played with the longer part of his hair. "That's all he does when I'm around too. It's just his way of interacting with people. It's why he doesn't have that many friends. He's used to it, you know; people being put off by him. If you are interested in becoming friends with him, it would be water under the bridge I'm sure."

Ulquiorra smirked for a moment. "He reminds me a lot of Szayel with the complaining and snarky comments. He also reminds me of Nnoitra with the bitching. He's an okay guy… I guess."

"And he is absolutely zero threat to you or your position with me. I know he loves me. I love him too. But like he says, it's like… it's not exactly like brother and sister, but it is. It's more like littermates," she laughed.

"Tch. Did you really lay down the law on him after you slept at my place the first time?" Ulquiorra asked, moving his hands from her back down to her waist. "We weren't even together then."

It was her turn to smirk. "I did. Are you surprised?"

He shrugged. "Like I said, we weren't even together… I mean… You made me cum in my pants but… You didn't have _brand loyalty _yet."

She threw her head back and released a throaty chuckle at the memory. "How could I forget!" She brought her eyes back level with his and explained, "I know we weren't together, but the time I spent with you... the things we did together- no. It was the way you made me feel that was in stark contrast to the way I felt when he and I would be close, or when any other person in a club would grind on me or kiss me randomly. It felt cheap. It made me feel like an object. Even though you didn't offer me any kind of brand loyalty, you made me feel special. You made me feel wanted. I had never felt that before. When I saw Quin after that, I knew I would never be able to settle for anything less again. I had to close that door to leave the new one open."

"Orihime, I have always wanted you but I never showed it. I kept it hidden under my duty to Aizen. You had my loyalty when I kidnapped you. I would have done anything for you. That's why I was pissed when I found out Grimmjow took you in Los Noches. That's why I was angry and volatile when Kurosaki came to the fifth tower." Ulquiorra looked away from her and sighed. "I tried to make you understand. I went about it the fucking wrong way but, I wouldn't have sacrificed myself for anyone."

"I know. I know now, and I suspected it then, even if I was confused and conflicted. It's why I reached for you. It's why I grieved for you. I never got over you. I remember Kurosaki making an issue of how upset I was to someone after you died… I don't remember the context anymore but even someone as painfully unaware of anything but himself noticed."

"When I woke up and Urahara wouldn't say anything about you, I thought you died. I decided to find a copy of you if I could. I didn't. I couldn't. When I found you, I was going to give up," he murmured.

"What do you mean?" She worried that he meant give up on life. "What would you have done if you had never found me?"

His mouth turned into a frown. "I used to be a hollow. I know what they're attracted to. It would have been easy to have one do it's thing. I was tired of being a human, Orihime. It was the same thing over and over. It made me restless. I couldn't...I was getting stir-crazy."

She let her lower lip wobble a bit and sniffed, combing through his hair slowly with her nails. "Never. It is no longer an option, do you hear me? Even if you die. Even if I die. No getting consumed by a hollow. I want to be able to find your soul without climbing into the belly of a monster."

"Then don't say something can happen to you. I know what I'm capable of," Ulquiorra stated. "I don't like violence but I'm not going to stand for someone doing anything to you."

She sighed, pulling his head down to touch their foreheads together. "I'm not asking you to stand idly by and watch harm come to me. I wouldn't if the tables were turned, as you know." Her voice took a more lighthearted tone then, "But you have to show restraint. So far he has invaded our privacy, threatened our reputations, and propositioned me. Ok, _maybe _he threatened to murder me but it's a matter for interpretation," she laughed, the dark side of her sense of humor coming to the surface. "He still hasn't actually caused harm yet."

Ulquiorra flattened his mouth into a thin line. "All that could harm you and I will interpret his words at face value. Let me listen to these voicemails."

She considered it for a moment before agreeing. Her first thought was to ask him to wait until morning, but she didn't need him tagging along to her photoshoot with a pocket full of hot, fresh rage. She nodded, pulling her phone out of her pocket. "Take a couple deep breaths now, maybe sit down. Here, actually," she said, passing him a throw pillow. "In case you feel the need to destroy something. It's a good possibility…"

She set the phone down on a dresser and put it on speaker as she logged into her voicemail box.

_You have 9 new messages. You have 17 old messages._

Great, she thought. Just what we need.

He did as she asked and sat down on the bed, hugging that pillow to his chest, burying half of his face into the surface, so that only his eyes and the bridge of his nose was visible. Ulquiorra watched her, then lifted his head. "You didn't know about these messages?" he asked before returning to his former position.

She shook her head, not wanting to talk over them as they began to play.

\- "You really are beautiful when you smile. I wonder how you'd look when you scream."

\- "I wish that motherfucker would shut up. I'm trying to talk. I can't talk or think when he's throwing shit around."

\- "What a fucking crybaby. Get over yourself, dickbag. There's a new cowboy in town."

\- "I can see the way he fucks you in this video. I could do so much better. I do like the cum shot though."

\- "You better not be knocked up though, bitch. I will cut that shit right out of you."

\- "Maybe knives would be fun anyway, what do you think, Precious? "

\- "I could take you to America where they have guns. Japan is boring."

_\- Heavy breathing, a grunt. "_Ahh, thanks for that, baby. You never fail to get me off."

\- "I'm gonna teach you how to suck my cock good. You'll gag on it."

Orihime felt sick as these new voicemails played. She wasn't afraid like she had been when she was alone the night before. Having Ulquiorra there made her feel safe, but having to listen to this pig in his presence made her feel worse than shit. Then the voicemails from the previous evening played.

Ulquiorra's face remained a blank slate as he listened. Inside of his head was complete chaos and rage. He wanted to reach through the phone and grab whoever was saying these things to her. Something kept bothering him though. He felt like he had heard the voice somewhere. Maybe it had been on a movie or something.

"Can you play the second message again?" Ulquiorra asked.

She nodded, replaying the messages and skipping the first one.

He closed his eyes as if it would make him hear the words better. In the background he could hear stuff crashing and thudding. There was also screaming. "When was that message sent?"

She checked, "About 22 hours ago."

He walked over to where his phone sat on a small table and looked at the call history, then swore. This phone was new so it had nothing in it. "Do you think Uryu-Ishida is still up?" He shook his head at the slip up but this wasn't the time for formalities. Things were clicking into place but if they were being put together in the right order was the tricky part.

"I don't know but it doesn't hurt to try," she said, already dialing.

"Hello?" a sleepy voice mumbled. Orihime put it on speaker as he was halfway through the word.

"Quin, how long ago did you call me?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Huh? Like before we went to Karakura?"

Ulquiorra sighed. "Yes, before we went to Karakura. How many hours ago has it been since you called me?"

"Hold on," Uryu said, looking through his call log. "Looks like it was a little over 21 hours ago. Why do you ask?"

"Did you go over to my apartment with Hirano to check for cameras?"

"Yeah. We found some. We had a private investigator come sweep for them."

This wasn't good. Ulquiorra looked at Orihime. "Okay, I need to call Hirano. Sorry."

She nodded. "Go back to sleep, honey. Thank you for everything." she said to her roommate before hanging up and dialing Hirano, putting it on speaker from the outset.

"Who the hell is this?" Hirano's bitchy voice came through.

"Your damn client," Ulquiorra said. "Did you go to my place?"

She grumbled. "Yeah, we did. We ran into your neighbor who threw a hissy fit about us going into the place. Hired a guy to look for them. Hired another guy who is a genius with tech shit. It'll be a few more hours before I know concrete shit, Cif."

"You didn't think to fucking text or call me with this information?"

"I am tired, C. It slipped my mind. There were twelve cameras in your apartment. Six of them were in your bedroom. The other six were on the lower level," Hirano stated.

"Twelve cameras? Are you serious?"

"Yeah and they blended in really well with their surroundings. Tiny… like uh… little LED lights, about that size, held to shit with a glue dot."

"I've gotta go, H."

"I'll call you when I get the information, okay?"

Ulquiorra stood up and had already hung up before she could get the last word out. His eyes darted back and forth trying to figure this out. "Call Quin again. Ask him to go over to my place and look for anyone besides the Shinigami who patrols the area with spiritual pressure."

"He's the best. He can probably do it from home, but I'll ask anyway," Orihime said, making the call.

"I just need it done."

She nodded. This time when he picked up, Uryu was awake. He agreed and said he would call again once he got there.

Not ten minutes later her phone rang. Orihime put it on speaker.

He started speaking without greeting them. "There are a bunch of spiritually aware people around here with low levels of spiritual pressure, but only one of them is in your building. I'm standing on the roof right now."

"What floor are they on? Can you tell?"

"Of course, it's the second from the top."

"Thanks Ishida. I owe you a drink when I get back," Ulquiorra said. His mind was reeling as the puzzle came together. Absolutely mind blowing. He knew Orihime was probably confused by what was going on. "That voice is familiar. The Japanese is a little off, like you said. In that second voicemail… you can hear faint background noise and a scream. That was me. You said this guy called me a magician and said I had tricks. He has to have a bit of spiritual pressure. You heard Quin."

"The eleventh floor - isn't that where The Novelist lives?" her voice was hollow with restrained fear.

He picked up his own phone and scrolled through the contacts. Ulquiorra was quick on his feet with thinking up plans and scheming. He did a lot of it as an Espada. He tapped on the name and waited for it to ring. Ulquiorra put the device on speaker so that Orihime could hear it then motioned for her to be silent.

"Murcielago, it's late. What do you need? Something wrong?"

"Theo, sorry to bug you. I forgot about time differences. Uh, some guys are going to be coming around. They have a passphrase. They'll knock on your door."

"Okay, what's the password, I'll write it down."

"Monster. Share. Blood. Japan." Ulquiorra stated each word clearly. "Say them back to me just so I know you know them."

"Monster. Share. Blood. Japan. Do I need to say anything back to them? Or just let them in your place?"

Ulquiorra's eyes widened and he looked at Orihime, alarmed. "Theo, I never mentioned anything about letting them in… How were you going to do that?"

"Uh, the lobby person has keys, Murcielago. It's a precaution, just in case anyone gets locked out of their place."

"Oh." Ulquiorra took a deep shaky breath, trying to calm his heartbeat. He was overreacting. That's all he seemed to do where Orihime was concerned. Kurosaki wanted to fuck her, let's choke him. Quin showed him the text, let's attack him. Ishida revealed his interest in Orihime and Ulquiorra had blasted that barrier with an immense beam of spiritual energy. He'd been the same way in Los Noches.

_"Oh god, Ulquiorra, what are you doing? This is… This is-This is fucking awesome!" _

The words were faint but still they were loud in Ulquiorra's eardrums.

"Shit, let me turn my TV down," the Novelist said. There was some scrambling, a thunk and the line went dead.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38: Monsters**

Orihime's nostrils flared and her eyes darkened with hate. She had never felt so much righteous anger before in her life. Her hair lifted off of her shoulders as her golden "airplanes" swirled around her chaotically. "He's _dead," _she growled. She wouldn't even look at Ulquiorra. All she stared at was the phone in his hand, and she currently concentrated on not letting Tsubaki destroy it. But the image of the Novelist's face and and his voice were filling her mind, and her imagination was filling the blanks of his behind-the-scenes activities. Just when she thought she might start the room on fire, she retched. She ran to the toilet and got sick several times.

After her stomach was empty, she wiped her mouth off and came back into the room where Ulquiorra still sat on the bed. She finally lifted her eyes to his. "Which way do you want to do this?" she asked, her voice still dripping with destructive intent, despite her heaving breaths.

"I wasn't imagining it, was I? I heard my name. That was your voice, right?" Ulquiorra asked. He was clarifying things before he took action. "We need to get back to Japan. You need to tell Pauletto that you will be back in a couple of days. That you'll join him wherever your next stop is. If we wait, he might run."

"I'll just text him. I don't care if he fires me. When is the next flight out of here?" she asked, already looking at her phone.

It wasn't until 9:00 the next morning.

"Shit!" she yelled, throwing her phone across the bed. "Shit shit shit!"

Ulquiorra got the same thing. "Okay, here's what we're going to do. He knows where we're at, right? Can't do anything until the morning. I'll exchange my ticket for another one and then buy you one. We're going to go take a couple of pictures around this cold ass city and then you're going to post them to your social media accounts. Make the caption say something like in Russia, jetting off to-Where are you going next?"

"Mongolia," she answered, slightly perturbed. She wasn't sure where he was going with this.

"Tomorrow morning, we're getting on that nonstop flight to Japan. We are going to bring Ishida up to speed, we might need Kurosaki's help. This guy is human. I can't fight and I'm sure Quin can't either," Ulquiorra said.

"Are you talking about hand-to-hand combat? Because if you are, we're in trouble. Out of the four of us, I'm the only one who's had any training, and I am definitely out of practice," she paused and blew out a breath, looking defeated. "That's why… Oh, Kurosaki took karate, too. And he can brawl, can't he? And he's big. I'm sure that unless _Theo _is on performance-enhancing drugs he wouldn't last long against "The Delinquent of Mashiba Junior High". But you want to ask Kurosaki? Are you sure?"

"Woman," he pressed his lips together. "I'm sure. Your safety is on the line. This is not a matter of pride. Besides, I'm thinking about kicking his ass. Make sure your shit is all packed. We're going to go out, then eat, take these pics and then you can get some sleep. We're leaving for the airport at four."

She looked at him and her expression changed. She appreciated his mind. He had been exceptionally clever as an arrancar, but she hadn't thought that it would all transfer or be an applicable skill as a human. He was proving her wrong, and she liked it. "Yes, Boss," she said with a smirk, undressing where she stood and turning to her suitcase.

Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes at her bare ass. "Change of plans. I'm going to have my way with you first, then we'll go out to do all that other stuff. Deal?"

She looked over her shoulder at him, her cheeks slightly flushed but her eyes still glinting like before. "Like I said, you're the boss, Boss," she said as a grin grew on her face.

* * *

After the sex and food, they went around the city and took pictures in front of several famous landmarks. Ulquiorra hoped his plan would work. He encouraged Orihime to post the pictures as soon as possible.

When they were on their way back to the hotel in a cab, Hirano called him.

"Cifer… The camera feed has been traced to your building. Could-"

"I think I know who it is H. Remember the Novelist?" Ulquiorra asked, interrupting the PR Bitch.

"The Novelist? As in that Lurch looking man who lives below you and _tries _to write crime fiction? What's his name… Crapton? Compton?"

"Crofton. Theo-something Crofton. I can't even remember it," he said. "Look, I'm gonna be on my way back in a couple of hours. It's gonna take me a day or two to get there. I want you to make it seem like I'm still here, okay?"

"You want me to do a bait and switch?"

"Yeah."

"Dude, you need to contact the police. I can do it for you, I have all the information-"

"H. Hirano… Don't. I have to do this." Ulquiorra ended the call and then looked out the window at the Russian city. After a few minutes he asked the redhead sitting beside him, "Did you get a reply from Pauletto?"

Orihime sighed. "Yeah, I was texting back and forth with him while you were on the phone. At first he was super pissed off, but, I'm sorry, I _had _to tell him about the tape. He was not budging on the stalker angle. When I told him about the tape it seemed like he saw the possible repercussions on his ad campaign. He changed his position pretty quickly. He wants us to take care of this and give him assurances that that tape will never go public."

"It won't. I've already deleted it from my phone. All I have his the still images from the camera. You should delete the video from your phone." He sounded tired and in truth, Ulquiorra was tired. He was tired of the drama. He was exhausted from the bullshit but it was all from other people… Orihime had caused none of it. "Did you tell him that you would join him in Mongolia and I'll be tagging along?"

"Yeah, he didn't seem to care. I'm disappointed I didn't have a chance to watch what was on your phone, but I've watched what was on my phone and it really wasn't worth saving; the angles were all wrong."

Ulquiorra glanced at her then smirked. "It's on my computer. Maybe I'll show you when we get back home. Though my first order of business after I get back from Mongolia is to find a new place. I can't. No, I don't care if I kill him or he gets arrested… I'm not staying there. We should drop your stuff off at your place and then I can take us to my apartment."

"Ok. Do you want to stay with me until my lease is up? Or do you want to find a new place right away? Either way is fine with me. You know how I feel about your place, I mean, your living space is nice but the building, and the stairs… just no. And with Freakshow McFuckface living there it has even less going for it as far as I'm concerned."

He attempted a smile. "I want to but I don't want to step on Quin's toes. You should ask him first before I just move in," Ulquiorra replied. "The old ladies in your building might be scandalized when they realize you're living with two men though."

"We can just tell them you're adopted," she said and giggled, leaning onto his arm for a few moments and then returning to her place. She looked out the window as some famous building whizzed by. "I'll ask him but I'm sure he'll say yes. He doesn't spend much time at home anyway. He's preparing for a show too; we both graduate in March."

Soon the cab pulled up to the hotel and Ulquiorra paid the driver, after helping Orihime out of the car. He informed the front desk that they would be checking out in a few hours. A nervous energy was building inside of Ulquiorra. He wanted to get this done and over with so that Titus, Theo, the Novelist-whatever the hell his name was wouldn't be able to hurt Orihime. "You okay to get some sleep?"

"We'll see how it goes. We can try to sleep on the plane, too. I'm not good at doing that but we could try. I'm a bit anxious to see how the response is to these new pictures. I can imagine he's going to go ballistic when he sees us together."

Ulquiorra gave a snort of disgust. "I really don't care what _he _does. As long as we keep up the act of being in Russia together he can't do anything. You should have captioned one of those pictures like other IG women do and show off the ring and "I said yes!" That might set him off further though."

She looked at him with genuine surprise. "Do you want me to do something like that? I was under the impression you didn't want people to know."

"I don't like people in my business but maybe we need to send the message out that we're off the market," he answered.

She blushed prettily as she looked down at the ring on her finger, smiling and acting kind of embarrassed. "I'd like to do something like that... Maybe when we're not so, I don't know, in the middle of an international crime-solving scheme?"

Ulquiorra nodded as he unlocked his room door and ushered her inside. He turned on the lights by flipping a switch and made sure he had everything packed up. He hadn't brought much but still, he didn't want to leave anything behind. After he was done, the green-eyed man flopped onto the bed and sat against the headboard, watching Orihime. "You're not scared?"

"I'm terrified. But I'm used to it, you know?" she sighed. "If it's not some scary guy in your building, it's Grimmjow. If it's not him, It's Grandpa Quincy or Aizen or Kurosaki or my brother. I've learned to cope." She exhaled and walked over to him, taking his hand. "I know you… You are used to being the one to inflict fear, not the other way around. Not in this life, but still. I'm not trying to act like this doesn't matter, because it does. I'm at least as scared as you. I just, I have more experience being the one afraid." She gave his hand a squeeze. "There is a big difference this time though; I have you on my side."

The age old question came to his mind but Ulquiorra knew Orihime was never afraid of him. She never had a reason to be afraid of him. He nodded and kissed her knuckles. "Pack whatever you unpacked and get some comfy clothes on. You're gonna need the rest."

She just took out the outfit she planned on wearing the next day and laid it on the desk chair, then put everything else away, piling her bags back onto the luggage cart that was still in the room from when she had brought it up earlier, climbing into bed with an undershirt and panties on.

Ulquiorra held her and stroked her hair, hoping it would calm her down so that she could sleep. The movement was calming him down.

Orihime woke up first. She went to the bathroom, quietly, so he could sleep. She checked her phone while she used the toilet. More messages. Her social media was full of them too. It was actually hard to find the ones she was looking for, and she gave up before she did. Time was a luxury she didn't have that morning. She hopped in the shower, and when she got out, Ulquiorra was standing in the doorway of the bathroom.

"You should have woken me up sooner," he mumbled, holding his toothbrush and his clothes for the day. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Nothing to report. The bathroom's yours now," she said, walking past him to the bedroom, kissing his cheek on the way.

She got changed, toweled off her hair and blew it mostly dry. She looked around the room one more time to make sure everything had been packed, then she sat on the bed and checked her phone again.

Ulquiorra quickly went through his morning routine and dressed. He came out of the bathroom less than ten minutes later. He saw Orihime staring at her phone. "Did you get something new?"

She didn't say anything. She turned the phone toward him to show a picture of the two of them, posing in front of the Hermitage Museum, with their eyes blacked out and bloody-looking marks colored onto their faces and bodies. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't say anything. It was just too disturbing.

Murderous thoughts took root in his mind as Ulquiorra stared at the picture. He couldn't believe that he lived above this asshole for as long as he did and never sensed or noticed the man's behavior. He acted pretty fucking normal. The Novelist had seen Orihime multiple times and never showed any interest in her at all. Why? How?

He remembered the story the man had spun about how he had a falling out with his wife. She was cheating on him or something. He decided to come to Japan and write about a guy who got caught up in some Japanese gang war but came out on top after he fell in love a couple of times. How much of that had been bullshit? How many lies had Ulquiorra been told?

"He's gonna die," Ulquiorra said in a quiet voice. His tone was deadly sounding and serious. What he just said to Orihime was a warning. "I'm going to show him what kind of monster I am."

His words helped her find her voice. She understood how he felt. She had felt the same about Grimmjow after he had killed her fiancé. Still, she couldn't let his words go unchallenged. She would be damned if she lost him to rage. "You are not a monster, Ulquiorra. He is."

"I am a monster. I sometimes think like an Espada. I still feel that hollow inside of me every time I use Pesquisa or have my body heal itself. I," Ulquiorra paused to think for a moment. "I want him dead, Orihime. It doesn't matter how he dies but I want him dead."

"We'll see," was as much as she was willing to concede. He may very well die, even if it was in a prison. Even if it was at someone else's hands. "And if you're a monster, so am I."

How could she even say that she was a monster? Orihime was never a hollow. She had never died, leaving behind a life of regret. He was the one reborn as a Vasto Lorde. He was the Arrancar. He was the Espada with two release forms. "We need to get going," was all Ulquiorra said.

* * *

The plane ride was long with extended stretches of turbulence. Orihime did not rest well, and spent a fair amount of time in the flight attendant's galley, smiling charmingly and earning herself extra mini bottles of vodka, then bringing them back to her seat. She offered some to Ulquiorra when his eyes were open, but he refused each time.

She knew she had to keep her nerves at bay. She also knew her alcohol tolerance well. She didn't drink too much.

When they stepped off the plane at Narita, she couldn't keep pretending that this was just a nightmare. She held it together through immigration, baggage claim and customs, but as they waited for the train to Tokyo, she let go of her luggage and took Ulquiorra's hand, unable to stop her own from shaking.

He had slept on the flight to St. Petersburg. Ulquiorra slept most of the way back to Japan. He had taken to flying with ease, following some advice he had found on the internet. The sleeping mask was an awesome trick. He didn't feel rested though and when he felt Orihime's hand grip his tightly, he knew that this was all a farce on her end. The way she trembled let him know she was terrified or something akin to it. He pulled her body closer and held her a moment. "You can stay at your apartment while I do this, if you want," he whispered to her.

"No. No. I need to… I have to be there." She pressed her head in to the space above his armpit and tried to calm herself down.

"Are your friends going to be there? Are Ishida and Kurosaki coming? We're going to need help."

"Quin will be there for sure. I mentioned to him about asking Kurosaki, but I think I should call him myself to be sure. He can be weird about things," she said, too worried about the task at hand to feel irritated by her former friend's quirks. "We have about six more minutes until the train arrives. I guess I'll go over there and call," she said, gesturing toward a designated area for making and receiving calls.

Ulquiorra nodded and watched her, his eyes never leaving her form. He wanted this over with so that she would stop worrying. He wanted the guy dead so that he wouldn't feel this angry. He wanted this to stop so that Orihime could breath a bit easier.

Orihime returned to Ulquiorra's side chewing on the inside of her cheek, looking less than pleased, her brows worried and cheeks rosy. "He's coming," she mumbled, then exhaled as if she had just finished an annoying chore.

"Kurosaki running his mouth again?" Ulquiorra asked her. He didn't like the look on her face at all. If her so-called friend was giving her shit on top of everything else, the artist would choke out the shinigami after he was done with Orihime's stalker. "This will all be over soon, Orihime. Within a day or two… Maybe it will be over in a couple of hours."

She nodded and took his hand again as the train pulled up. She let go to grab her luggage, well, the little bit of luggage that he allowed her to carry, and found their seats. They had one more hour until they arrived at Tokyo Station in Shinjuku, and from there Ulquiorra could be at his place using flash step in a matter of minutes.

It went by fast for him. Ulquiorra studied the scenery they passed or he watched Orihime covertly. Using all that time to think, he came to the conclusion, he wouldn't harm the Novelist. He would turn the man over to the police, making sure that all the evidence of the sex tape would be destroyed. "Do you want to take a cab back to your apartment?" he asked as the train finally pulled to a stop at their station.

"Yes, but only if you come with me," she was beginning to feel her emotions snowball. Chief among them was her fear for his safety. Second to that was the fear for her own; there was no guarantee that Titus hadn't found her place and staked it out. Shit. That hadn't occurred to her before. "Actually I don't trust my place to be safe either. Maybe I should put my stuff in a locker."

"That seems like an ideal thing to do. We'll be coming back here when this is all finished," he replied.

It took several minutes to get to a place in the sprawling train station that had lockers large enough to accommodate their baggage. She paid for 48 hours. "So, we haven't really talked strategy. What do you want to do? All I have to do is say the word and Quin and Kurosaki will be at your place. Kurosaki should be in Koenji by now. I told him to stay in his body… he knows this guy is human. Anyway he had to take the trains in so hopefully he made it. Quin is fast without having to ditch his body, like you."

Ulquiorra thought about it for a moment. "I think we should, uh, have Kurosaki say those words to dickface, lure him out of the apartment. Maybe throw him down eleven flights of stairs. Pop his head like a balloon?"

"Which words?"

"The monster, share, blood, Japan thing. I thought whoever left those voicemails tripped over those certain words. That's why I had him say them… Just to make sure."

Orihime nodded. It was a good start, anyway. "I'll see where he is." She called the shinigami's phone, only to hear his voice behind them.

"I thought it was you, how you holding up, Hime?" Ichigo asked in an uncharacteristically sympathetic voice, his hand coming up to pat her shoulder.

She furrowed her brows and backed up into Ulquiorra. "Not well, thanks for asking," she answered. "Are you… are you masking your reiatsu?"

He grinned. "Yup! Just a little something I've been working on," he humble-bragged.

"Well stop, it it's freaking me out," she grumbled.

Ulquiorra wrapped an arm around Orihime's waist. "Stop that, Kurosaki. Why would you mask your reiatsu? Why not alert us to your presence?"

"Excuse me for wanting to show off a little," he replied, petulant.

"This is not the time, Kurosaki," Orihime scolded.

He wanted to tear the orange-haired man's head off! How dare he take this lightly and "show off"! Ulquiorra had to focus on not blasting Kurosaki with any type of attack. "Your friend is in danger and you want to be a childish brat?"

"Hey, you asked me for help. A little gratitude would be nice. How much danger can you really be in, anyway? This guy is human, right? What can he do to you?" Ichigo was cocky as usual, and not thinking things through as usual.

"Orihime, show him the last message you got from Titus."

She did, turning the phone the shinigami with the mutilated image displayed.

Ulquiorra watched the other man's features as he studied the photo. "It's not just this but other messages and things since Orihime went to work for Pauletto. That man has been living under me for a while. He said he came to Japan after his divorce for my woman."

"Dude," Ichigo said with a look of distaste. "This guy thinks you are worth moving abroad for and wracking up evidence to get himself arrested for harassment? I mean, c'mon. Something is wrong with this guy."

Ulquiorra's spiritual pressure started to spike and he leveled an irate gaze at Kurosaki. "I don't want him arrested. Ideally, I want him dead. He's invaded our privacy, has stolen images and videos of Orihime and myself that he plans to release to the public. He's also threatened to kill her and violate her. Do I need to continue to make you see the seriousness of this situation?"

Ichigo's reiatsu mask slipped, and both Orihime and Ulquiorra felt it grow more turbulent as Ulquiorra explained Titus' crimes. "Are you sure this guy is human?"

His reiatsu stabilized a moment later, and he asked, "Wait, what kind of video?"

"It is Orihime and I having sex."

Ichigo's ears turned red first, followed by his forehead and cheeks. He turned to Orihime and hissed, "You made a sex tape? I didn't think you'd be that kinky, Hime," he murmured, briefly looking her up and down. He thought it was subtle and quick enough to go unnoticed.

A flicker of green spiritual pressure came out and wrapped around Kurosaki's neck. It was fast and the ribbon curled tightly around the man's throat. Ulquiorra held his fist up and snarled. "Kurosaki, I suggest if you want to keep your eyes and the ability to speak, you'll refrain from speaking to my future wife that way." Just to make his intentions clear, Ulquiorra clenched his hand.

Ichigo grasped at his neck, trying to dispel what Ulquiorra was doing. In the end, Orihime put her hand on Ulquiorra's forearm and coaxed him to release the orange-haired idiot. "It's not even worth it," she said.

Ichigo sputtered and coughed, his eyes darting between Ulquiorra and Orihime, then he spat on the ground and addressed Ulquiorra, "Yeah right. Your future wife? I'll believe that when I see it, _Murcielago. _"

Ulquiorra lifted Orihime's left hand and practically shoved it in Kurosaki's face. "Is this enough proof for you? I don't have to justify anything to you! Let's go!" He turned and started walking towards the street, dragging Orihime with him. Right now, he did not want this unneeded rage. "Your friend is an idiot, Woman," he muttered.

"He hasn't been a real friend for a long time," she answered so that only Ulquiorra could hear. She wrapped her free hand around his arm, sensing that perhaps he could use a bit of reassurance of her allegiance to him, despite there being no cause to doubt it. She didn't mind it either.

Ichigo grumbled something under his breath and followed them, glowering and letting his spiritual pressure lash out at the pair of them from time to time. After they were out of the station and in line for a taxi, he spoke. "So what's the plan? Are we just going to knock on this guy's door and ask him to please stop?"

Orihime frowned at him and shook her head. "Don't act like that, Kurosaki."

"Don't act like what? Your friend who got sidelined for your new boytoy and doesn't even rate an honorific anymore? The same one who came all the way over here today to help you even though there's nothing in it for me? I have nothing to gain from this, I hope you realize."

Orihime scoffed. "Who sidelined whom, Kurosaki-_ kun _? If memory serves you have a long history of sidelining me _and _Quin whenever kudos are in the line."

Ichigo scoffed right back as they reached the front of the line. "I did not, and why the hell do you keep calling Ishida Quin?"

Orihime looked at him like he had grown a second head. "Really? You didn't figure it out? It's short for Quincy…". She rolled her eyes and looked at Ulquiorra with an expression of disbelief.

Ulquiorra had to hold back his surprise at Orihime's reaction and her outburst. "Kurosaki, you make it seem like Orihime had guys lined up. I can assure that was not the case. I am not a boytoy as you put it. I've done more to protect and nurture this woman than you have done in your entire life." He smiled at the man although it didn't reach his eyes. "We could just use flash step to get there instead of waiting around for a cab since you don't have your bags with you, Orihime."

"Oh nice. You ask me to come as a human and then ditch me at the station?"

"You remind me of Asano right now," Orihime commented, tilting her head to the side.

Ichigo's face turned red and he sputtered as he worked through feeling offended. "I'm nothing like that clown! Take that back."

Orihime giggled but agreed that leaving Ichigo at the station would be shitty, no matter how much he deserved it. "I will take a cab. If you want to go on ahead it's alright but I'd rather you stayed with me," she said to Ulquiorra.

"Oh right. I forgot he was human, still." Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe the gall of this asshole who called himself a friend. Kurosaki was not in any way shape or form a companion of Orihime's. He was a leech. With that thought he let go of Orihime, and turned on the man. "Speaking of you," Ulquiorra sneered. "How dare you and that slag you fuck on a regular basis follow me around! You had no right taking pictures of me while Orihime and I were broken up! You're lucky she likes you, Kurosaki."

"Ha! I _am _her friend. I was just trying to help her get over you, by showing her how you really are. How long did you wait before finding some ugly skank to stick your dick in? A week? Two?" He turned to Orihime, "You have to know the truth, Hime. I don't want to see you get hurt. I can't believe this guy has the nerve to say he protects and nurtures you when every time I turn around he's breaking your heart!"

The level of hypocrisy spewing from Kurosaki's mouth was staggering, but Orihime had to admit to herself that he _did _have a point buried in there somewhere. However, today was not the day to discuss their floundering friendship or his objections to hers and Ulquiorra's engagement. "Please, you two. Another time," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

The green eyed artist scowled at the other male. "My apologies, Orihime. You're right, we have other things to focus on."

"I'll sit in the middle; I'm smallest. After you, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime said as a cab opened up for them.

Ichigo got in and slid to the far side without a word.

Ulquiorra waited for Orihime to get in then he followed her into the vehicle. He hoped this ride would be uneventful and that Kurosaki wouldn't say anything dumb or ask idiotic questions.

The taxi ride took approximately 26 minutes in light traffic. Today was not exactly light traffic, but it wasn't terrible. After about ten minutes, Orihime's leg started bouncing. After another five minutes, she kept shifting her weight from one hip to another. Twenty minutes after they had left the station, she was gripping her knees and rocking back and forth very subtly - just a few millimeters in each direction - but it was noticeable to her companions, whose shoulders crowded hers.

Ulquiorra understood what she was going through, they had talked about it before returning to Tokyo, but Ichigo was surprised. They had faced worse together; much worse. "What's wrong, Orihime? What about this guy freaks you out so much? It's not like he can destroy the entire universe or something.

Orihime's eyes flashed with anger as they darted in his direction. "He can destroy _my _universe."

A heavy sigh left Ulquiorra. Today just wasn't his day. The universe wanted to work against him. He turned and looked at the orange-haired man over Orihime's head. "Kurosaki, this man has lived below me for almost two years. Orihime has been around him numerous times. At any point, he could have done something to harm her. We did not know anything about this until Orihime left for northern Japan about a month ago. Would you like to hear some of the things he has said to her? What about the texts or the fact that he's sent her about twenty-five photos of his dick? Would you understand that?"

Ichigo's eyes moved toward his window and his ears turned red. Orihime blew a very controlled breath out of her nostrils. The silence that followed Ulquiorra's question was deafening. After about ten seconds, Ichigo nodded, grunting something about taking his word for it.

Orihime was about at her limit for bullshit. "Kurosaki-kun, he wants to rape and kill me. I do not wish for same. I am disturbed by it. That should be enough information, right?"

"Yeah," Ichigo replied, still looking out the window.

Orihime turned to Ulquiorra and leaned into his arm. She needed to calm down.

He wrapped his arms around the woman and held her close. "My plan is this; we're going up to the eleventh floor. Kurosaki, you will knock on the door and when he answers you're going to say four words to him. Hopefully, this will draw him out of the apartment or he will invite you inside. After that we rush him, beat him down or restrain him. We need to delete that footage off his computer and anywhere else he could have put it. Maybe we should call Hirano and have her get that IT guy over to the building..." Ulquiorra mused out loud.

Kurosaki met Ulquiorra's eye and nodded. "Yeah, he may have uploaded it anywhere online. You'll need someone who can trace what he did… You may need this guy to give us some of the information himself. I don't know how good your people are, Cifer. Is Ishida there already?"

"He should be, and if not he'll be available at a moment's notice," Orihime answered, head still pressed into Ulquiorra's side. "I'll be there to put up barriers if he tries to attack. This guy seems to have some spiritual awareness, so I think my shields should deter him if necessary."

"How much spiritual awareness? Do I need to have my battle pass ready?" Ichigo asked the woman.

"It wouldn't hurt, but I don't think he has much. In some of his voicemails, he mentioned Ulquiorra doing "magic tricks". I think he's talking about flash step or his hand shields, so it's likely this guy can perceive some things but not a lot, kind of like Tatsuki."

"That's a name I haven't heard in a long time. How is she doing?" Ichigo asked, as if only making conversation.

"I don't know, we fell out of touch after I left Karakura," Orihime answered, kind of irritated at his timing.

Ulquiorra texted Hirano who responded almost immediately to his query. "She says her guy is good and he'll be there in thirty to forty minutes. After everything is done, we need to contact the police."

"We're almost there," Orihime murmured, sitting up straight and putting on a composed exterior.

* * *

"What are the words again?" Ichigo asked as he held the elevator door open.

Ulquiorra glared at Kurosaki. Sure the elevator was tiny but how the hell did the man know it was there? He had lived there for two years and frankly the thing just looked like a regular door with a small window in it. There was one apartment per floor and that same door on each damn floor Ulquiorra thought it was some strange hallway or perhaps storage. The door on his floor, lead to the roof. The shinigami made him look like an ass. "Tch. Monster. Share. Blood. Japan." The artist pouted for a good minute.

Orihime simply looked at her fiance with a blank expression and blinked several times with great emphasis. Finally, she said, "Ah, yes. No elevator. Use the stairs. They'll make your ass look good." She was taking liberties with her paraphrasing but it was just beyond the limits of her understanding.

"I was told when I moved in here that there was no elevator," Ulquiorra said in defense of the words that he said to her months ago. "Even if you had taken the elevator, you would have arrived on his floor and had to walk past his door in order to come to the top floor. I did not know. How does Kurosaki know it's here? Have you been here before?"

"No, it just makes sense. It's a door opposite the stairwell with a button. I thought it was obvious…" the shinigami responded, thoroughly confused.

Orihime looked at him like hell had frozen over. The one time in his life that Ichigo Kurosaki had been observant, and it was about an elevator.

Ulquiorra scoffed. "Whatever can we just do this? Or else I'm going to teleport myself up there."

They all got in and Ichigo pressed the button labeled 11. Nothing happened.

"Come to think of it, I was at a party in this building about three and a half years ago. I was told there was no elevator then, either. Maybe this is just a service elevator for maintenance?" Orihime suggested. They stood in the darkening interior of the tiny space and she sighed. "I'm thinking it's out of order, anyway."

A rather smug look overcame Ulquiorra's face. He quickly changed to to a scowl and sighed. "Once again your skills are remarkable Kurosaki. I guess it's time to climb some stairs. They do make your ass and legs look great, Orihime."

Ichigo huffed and led the group out of the way elevator to the stairs. "They looked fine before…" he muttered, not really in the mood to start shit but unable to let the opportunity to make Ulquiorra look bad go.

"They look even better. She needs to keep in shape for her job," Ulquiorra snarked. He took Orihime's hand as they started to climb. "If you get tired, let me know I'll take you up there. By the way text, Ishida."

"I'm fine. He's waiting in front of your place already," she murmured. She was anything but fine. Her fingers threaded through Ulquiorra's and she squeezed harder than usual as they started climbing.

When they reached the tenth floor, Ulquiorra and Orihime stayed back several steps to avoid detection as Ichigo went up the rest of the way. After a few seconds there was a knock, and then Ichigo's voice, "Hey, um, monster. Share. Blood. Japan."

* * *

The man known as the Novelist, TitusSaurus, and Theo Crofton, glanced at his apartment door. He had heard those four strange words a day ago when his neighbor had called him. Theo had thought the words were just a ruse; a farce to get him to slip up. Then he accidentally rolled over onto his television remote and raised the volume on the thing. He knew the game was up and it was time to move on. Thus, he'd been packing, knowing that Ulquiorra Cifer would be coming back from Russia in several days time.

Miss Inoue's post the other day had angered him. Seeing her and Cifer having a grand old time in Russia was sickening. The one picture that had shown the woman's neck and the man's smirk had sent him over the edge and he had printed out the photo and vandalized it. She was clearly showing off a hickey and it appeared fresh.

The caption under the photo gave him all the information he needed. "_ Spending a couple more days in Russia with this guy and then I'm off to Mongolia on my own! _"

Hmph!

He could have easily tracked her down while abroad.

But… hearing those words on the other side of the door was somewhat surreal. Theo knew that didn't sound like Cifer. He stopped what he was doing and walked over to the door, opening it just enough to peek at the person who spoke.

There was no one there that he could see.

"Hey man," a young man's voice spoke in a neutral tone. "I'm here to get into the place upstairs. I was told to tell you those words and you'd get me to the super?"

Theo opened the door more and stuck his head out to see an orange-haired japanese man standing there. "Uh, I can, uh… Can you tell me the identity of the guy who told you this?"

"Uh, it was some guy called… What was it… His last name was Cifer. The first name was weird and hard to say. Something like Urkel-hola. Sounded like a real tool on the phone. Said he needed someone to check in and make sure his security was functional. He sounded paranoid. I'm from a private security company in Ueno."

Theo nodded. This must have been before the man had heard the thing on TV. "Oh, yeah sounds like the guy. Uh, let me get my key and I can open up his place for you."

"Great," Ichigo said, stepping back a bit to allow the door to open.

The big man grabbed a set of keys off the box beside the door and let it fall open, stepping out. He didn't bother with locking his own door. He'd just go up to the next floor and then come back down, to get started on packing again. He nodded at the guy and started walking up the stairs. Theo was probably being paranoid but he felt a strange presence in the stairwell.

He shrugged it off as anxiety. He might have talked about killing and raping people in his books but Theo had never done such a thing to anyone. His books were like detailed outlines for what he wanted to do to every woman he became obsessed with. At first it was a normal, crush on celebrities and his girlfriend had gotten annoyed then dumped him because all he could talk about was a certain actress or a singer. Then he found himself enamored with supermodels but they were hard to keep tabs on and no name models about to hit it big were better anyway. They didn't have egos. They replied to messages and emails.

"A guy has got to be crazy to live all the way on the top floor, huh," Theo said as they plodded up the stairs, the landing in sight.

"Hey, you made it, Kurosaki," another, more refined, young man's voice called from the top floor. "You must be the neighbor," Ishida said without turning to face the two.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't realize the elevator was out so I'm late," Ichigo said as he followed Crofton. Ishida turned around as The Novelist approached.

The big man stopped in his tracks as he stared at the familiar man with that stupid haircut and the glasses. "I know you… You were here the other day with that bitch! You were here the night they took pictures." Shit, he hadn't meant to reveal that information.

Ishida smirked as Ichigo jumped Theo from behind, taking him out at the knees as bashing him in the back of the head with an elbow on the way down, and pulling up the man's elbows from behind as he lay on the ground.

The big man struggled. "A little help, Ishida!?" Ichigo grunted as he tried to unsuccessfully pin the larger man.

"Get the hell off of me!" Theo yelled. It would take a lot more than that to get him down. He grabbed what he could on the orange-haired man and rolled over, letting his heavy body settle on top of the man.

Ichigo started throwing punches up at the man, but didn't have much room for leverage. Ishida kicked Crofton in the head. It only seemed to infuriate the author, who grabbed the Quincy's ankle, yanking him onto his ass.

It was only after the two men were down that Theo stood up and delivered a big footed kick to each man's ribs. "He pay you? Y'all part of a gang? Is that what this is? Cifer got the jump on me and decided to do a hit? Y'all suck at being assassins. C'mon, how much is he paying you to do this? I'll give you twice that to kill him and bring me his lady."

Orihime heard. She was imagining the worst. She dashed up the stairs shrieking, "I reject!"

Tsubaki streaked through the landing and sliced through the writer's side, just under the ribs on his right side. Bright red blood began to stain the fabric of his now-torn shirt as it pulsed out of the wound. Orihime had held back at the last moment, sparing his life. The wound was only about two-finger widths deep. It still hurt like a bitch, though.

Ulquiorra dashed after Orihime. He saw the man bleeding and glared. He started to stalk up the stairs. "How dare you try and turn my friends against me _Titus _! Yeah, I know who you are. Did you think I was stupid and wouldn't figure it out?"

The man coughed, sending more blood spurting out of the wound and down onto the floor. "It took you almost two years to figure it out and that's because I became impatient. I couldn't stand to see Miss Ino-Ulck!"

Jets of green spiritual pressure came out of Ulquiorra's hand and wrapped around the man's throat, cutting off his speech. "You don't get to say her name," Ulquiorra fumed. "You don't even deserve to be anywhere near her. We're going to keep you here until the police come. Orihime, will you please heal Kurosaki and Ishida?"

Orihime didn't respond other than to call out her healing fairies and set them to work over her two friends on the floor. She avoided looking at Ulquiorra and Crofton. The brief glimpses she took were nightmare fuel: Ulquiorra's expression was twisted into a hateful grimace and Crofton looked like some kind of caged animal; his eyes wild with a mixture of fear, lust, and killing intent. Those eyes flickered to hers the moment she looked at them. She appreciated Ulquiorra's power now more than ever.

Theo was quickly turning colors, unable to breathe from the phantom pressure on his neck. He clawed at the skin but nothing could relieve it. "You're freaks," he managed to groan. "Fucking… freaks."

Uryu recovered first and sat up under Orihime's dome. "Cifer, let him go! You're going to kill him," he demanded. "Killing him isn't worth it. Orihime wouldn't be able to forgive you getting put to death for murder."

Ishida's words raised alarms in Orihime's brain, overriding her comfort with Titus' current circumstances. "Quin's right, Ulquiorra. You can't kill him, it would only make things worse for us. Please, let him down," she pleaded.

He turned his head and looked at the woman. She still looked scared. She still looked fretful. Ulquiorra relented though and unclenched his hand. He turned back just in time to see the stalker slump against the wall. "When you're rotting away in prison, I hope you're thankful that this woman who you've terrorized had enough compassion to keep you breathing."

Ichigo recovered at this point too and Orihime was able to pull her healing power off of them and reluctantly moved it over to the ribs of her stalker. She said nothing, but looked somewhat defeated. She wanted to let her strike mean something, but she knew it would cause more trouble for them when the police arrived than she wanted.

"What are you doing, Inoue?!" Ichigo shouted, jumping to his feet and approaching the small woman.

"Kurosaki…" Ishida warned. He understood why Orihime had to do what she was doing.

"She's not a monster like you or me, Kurosaki Ichigo. Orihime doesn't want his blood on her hands. I understand this," Ulquiorra stated as he turned to where Orihime was standing. "Also, how do we explain to the police he has a knife wound but there's no weapon? We'd all be thrown into a holding cell."

Orihime made eye contact with Ulquiorra, glad to see that his expression had relaxed somewhat. She managed a small smile for him.

Theo looked around while they were all having their campfire moment. That freaky bitch had done something to him and it was like he never had that cut. He stared at every face that he could see before he darted over to the roof access door and started up another flight of stairs.

"What the fuck!" Ulquiorra yelled.

Quin was the first to get to the roof, followed by Kurosaki, who had left his body behind in front of Ulquiorra's apartment and stood beside Ishida in his shinigami robes. Ulquiorra was a split second behind. Orihime took up the rear and watched with wide eyes as her three male companions advanced on Titus in a semi-circle formation; Ulquiorra in the center and Uryu and Ichigo a bit forward on either side. She decided to guard the door. This was going to end here, on the roof.

Like a feral cat that had been cornered, Theo felt threatened. He felt like he had nowhere to go and he really didn't. Those three freaks-witches-voodoo assholes had him surrounded with the edge of the roof at his back. The redheaded bitch was guarding the door. He could always knock the men down and cart the woman off but he could see a little golden streak of light buzzing around her. Cifer had green glowstick shit wrapped around his hands. The gay looking one had a huge ass sword on his back. The one that wore glasses held some strange bow.

"Give up, Titus." Ulquiorra yelled. "You have nowhere to go. If you attempt anything you will be put down."

"Yeah, you know what… I'm not cut out for prison. Did a stint in the States for stalking some bitch," Theo said as he inched towards the lip of the roof. He was almost there as he talked. "I'm gonna have to sit this one out. To think I was gonna waste my first kill on some… abomination."

When his knees hit the brick, Theo stumbled, his hand catching the stone.

Orihime felt time slow down as she watched her stalker make his move. She could have done something. She could have stopped it. She didn't, though. She let it happen.

It was Ulquiorra who held out a hand and shouted, "Don't!"

"See ya in hell, Cifer."

The Novelist-TitusSaurus-Theobald Crofton was gone.

People screamed from below.

Ulquiorra was the first one to rush over to the side. Did this man have nothing to live for that he would throw his life away like this? He didn't even want to look and he wouldn't.

"This isn't over. We've got to-" Ulquiorra said but was interrupted. His eyes went wide with fear as he turned to the people behind him.

A dark blast of Hollow energy had erupted from the street below.


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39: We Protect Each Other**

Roaming the world as a plus, Ulquiorra spent many years thinking about his demise. He wasn't even sure what caused it but he knew that there was nothing good for him. Every time one of those people with the black outfits came looking for him, he would hide. He had seen what happened to those who got caught by an _Alma Segador _. They'd turn into particles and just float into the sky. They'd be erased.

Many years passed before he gave up. Those monsters came for him. The next thing he knew he woke up in that pit. He was white as the moon and he wandered for many years until he stumbled upon that crystal thornbush with it's inviting comfort of pain.

The hollowfication process wasn not an immediate thing that happened to souls. unless the soul felt so despaired that it couldn't handle it any longer. What had caused the man who had just fallen to his death below Ulquiorra's apartment building to turn hollow just moments after he died? Had he ripped out his own soul chain?

Ulquiorra looked over the edge of the building and saw a broken and twisted body laying on the pavement, and standing in the street was a massive Hollow. "Kurosaki? Quin?"

The two leapt to Ulquiorra's side and looked down at the sight. "I've got this," Kurosaki said in a bored tone, taking his zanpakuto off his back. "Be right back," he said, smirking at Ulquiorra and Quin as he stepped off the roof and plummeted toward the hollow.

Ishida looked to Ulquiorra with concern, and said, "I feel like there is something awry here, don't you? As a former hollow, don't you think these circumstances are unusual?"

The green-eyed man nodded. Something had gone wrong. It happened too quickly and that Hollow was too big to be something normal. "It's a Menos. He's a Menos. Titus turned too quickly or had too much regret., but from what I know… This isn't right. From what I know, Menos are created when the void within an ordinary Hollow's heart becomes so substantial that Human souls are incapable of sustaining it. Titus... maybe he didn't have a soul?"

Orihime staggered up behind the two men, dumbstruck and undergoing some kind of mental breakdown. She could have stopped it! He did this because of her! She fell to her knees at the edge of the roof and looked down to see the broken body and the hollow that was currently dodging Ichigo's attacks. This was _her_fault.

"No," she muttered, feeling like she might retch. She reached down toward the body. "I reject…"

Nothing happened. No golden paper airplanes issued forth. She was powerless in her anguish. "I have to go down there," she said to herself as she pulled up to her feet and tried to conjure a shield.

Ulquiorra stopped her. He understood her compassion for other humans, but this time it didn't make sense to him. Why bring back someone who was already gone? "Why? He's gone, Orihime. He's that big ass Hollow that is trying to kill Kurosaki."

"I could have stopped it! I could have stopped his fall! I could have blocked his access to the edge! I could have… I didn't do anything! I let it happen!" she wailed her words until a sob strangled her voice.

He could see Orihime was just one stop away from losing it entirely. He picked her up, not listening if she complained. "Ishida, go help orange-haired asshole. I'm taking Orihime downstairs. This isn't done. I have more work to do."

With that he turned and started towards the stairs. He set Orihime down once they reached his door, but he kept a tight grip on her in case she thought of running away from him. He was only trying to protect her from that creature outside. Unlocking the door, he opened it and pushed her inside, stepping over Ichigo's presently soulless body to do so. He had hit Kurosaki's head with the door on accident, feeling a smidge guilty, but then he knocked the wooden surface into the body's skull several more times before he dragged the meat suit into the apartment, leaving it in the genkan.

The woman was still crying.

"Orihime, what's wrong? Why do you think you could have stopped it?"

A flash of a memory went through Ulquiorra. This wasn't the time to be getting weird flashbacks. He shook his head and closed his eyes against the image of bodies hanging from gallows. The architecture around the the place looked early 1800's Spanish buildings. This wouldn't help her. How would the story of his death help her understand? "He felt like he had nothing left," Ulquiorra said.

"And whose fault is that?" she asked, lashing out at Ulquiorra. She immediately regretted it and shook her head, burying it in her hands. "I'm sorry, Ulquiorra. This isn't your fault. This is on me. He did all of this because of me."

"No!" Ulquiorra snapped. "No! I will not allow you to pin the blame on yourself, Woman! He made that choice! This is my fault. I'm the one who wouldn't let it go. I'm the one who drove him to do this! I'm the one who caused this. You know what though? If he would have harmed you, say he did rape you and then murdered you… I would have been dead too. One person who obviously had problems or two people who are in love with each other?"

He walked closer to her and drew her to him, holding her in his arms. "Orihime, he made the choice. He could have stayed on the roof until the police came. He didn't want to and you can't say that's your fault."

Orihime brought her arms around him and gripped his back tightly, leaning into him as she tried to calm her breathing, nodding her tentative acceptance of his rationale. When she was able to speak, she asked, "What do we do now? Quin and Kurosaki… they're still fighting. Why hasn't Titus gone down yet? He should be an easy win for those two." Her voice hitched as she asked. She still wasn't totally recovered.

Just as he was about to answer, there came a massive roar that blasted the windows of the apartment out. Ulquiorra watched as the huge, towering hollow brought a fist through the floor beneath them and then through the wall of his apartment. Shit. His eyes went wide and he turned, shielding Orihime from debris. He felt the impact of things flying past him and he pulled the woman down so she wouldn't be hit by anything. He couldn't help with the hollow. He hadn't tried to kill anything with his trick.

Ulquiorra heard the roar again. He had to think. What happened when a hollow got out of line in Los Noches? Grimmjow. Aizen. The Sexta had almost been crushed by Aizen's spiritual pressure. "Stay here," he told Orihime, letting her go and standing up. He moved using flash step to the hole in his apartment. He wasn't sure this would work but, he had to do something to help.

He started increasing his reiatsu.

"Ulquiorra," Orihime called out, an unspoken request to be careful stitched into his name. "We protect each other, remember? Don't try to stop me if he tries to come in."

"Just stay back. Get that little fairy that does damage ready though," he replied, not looking at her. He was still focusing on increasing his spiritual pressure.

"What are you…" Orihime wondered out loud to herself, trying to understand what Ulquiorra was doing. Clearly he was trying to magnify his spiritual pressure. She worried that whatever he meant to do after he had achieved his desired level would be moot if it took too long. It should matter. She had to trust him. She nodded, resolved to put her faith in him, and recalled Tsubaki, approaching her lover from behind and placing her palm between his shoulder blades.

"Trust me, and I'll trust you," was all she said as she concentrated her spiritual pressure into her hand, transferring a large portion of it to him.

"What? I told you-" Then he felt it; that warmth that he knew so well because his own power had meshed with it. She was backing him up. She was helping him. Protect each other. He saw the Titus hollow as it took a swipe at Kurosaki.

It was now or never.

Ulquiorra felt a different kind of power pour through his body. What happened? Had Orihime unlocked something inside of him? Was this the combination of their efforts? It felt different and it wasn't the usual brilliant green color. Blackish-green reiatsu curled over his hands. He gave it all he had.

It wasn't working. Shit. Titus wasn't stopping but he had slowed down significantly. He was still taking swipes at Kurosaki and Ishida! Fuck! "HEY FUCKFACE! I still have your woman over here!"

The massive hollow batted away the Quincy and the Shinigami before turning towards the couple. "What?"

"I said I got your woman over here. You know, Miss Inoue? You could easily eat us!" Ulquiorra shouted. "But you really can't call us freaks because dude, you're a mess. I mean I know Kurosaki looks like hell but for the love of Aizen, you're like ten more trainwrecks than him."

He knew he was being flippant and sassy but he was trying to goad the hollow into attacking or doing something just to distract it long enough that the two fighters who actually had attack capabilities could do it. Ulquiorra had to brace as the Hollow roared again, shattering more glass.

All he saw was Titus running towards them and his fist coming at him. "Hold on, Orihime!"

Orihime had her eyes screwed shut but felt the onslaught of hollow energy barrelling toward them. In one desperate push of concentration, she gave her all to Ulquiorra, completely exhausting her own spiritual pressure.

"I'm going to enjoy devouring you, Cifer!" The hollow screeched.

As soon as it was in range, Ulquiorra unleashed everything he had been holding back.

* * *

The green blast of energy looked very much like that one move that Ulquiorra had done while in his Segunda Etapa form. It also looked like his Cero Oscuras but less devastating. The huge hollow went flying into an empty building that was marked for demolition. The attack had burned much of the skin on the front of its body and the white mask was blackened around the edges.

The monster groaned as it slumped against the structure.

Kurosaki was ready. He was furious. How dare this pissant of a Menos give him such a hard time. While the Titus hollow sat there stunned, the shinigami struck.

It was a perfect hit. Titus' mask shattered, and his body disintegrated. It was over.

* * *

When Ulquiorra became aware of his surroundings he was once staring up at the Quincy and the Shinigami. "I swear if one of you spouts something about a threesome, I will punch you. Is that thing dead?" he asked in a groggy tone, struggling to sit up.

"Yes, in no small thanks to you," Quin said with a small grin, offering Ulquiorra a hand to get him up.

"I was the one who killed him though," Ichigo muttered, hoisting something up further onto his back. He had returned to his human body.

"Good boy, Fido. Do you want a treat?" Ulquiorra snidely asked. His head was killing him and he hurt all over. "Where's Orihime? Is she okay?"

Ichigo turned to the side, revealing Orihime's passed out form. He was wearing her like a backpack. "I think you wiped her out, Cifer."

Oh, hell no. Ulquiorra staggered to his feet. "Put her down, I'll carry her or give her to Ishida. He can actually use that thing while human to get her back to their apartment."

"Hirenkyaku? I don't think it's wise. Her spiritual pressure is completely spent. If I do that with her as she is now, she'll suffer," Ishida advised. "I'll take her though," he said, going to Kurosaki's back and lifting her off of his body and into his arms. "I'll call a cab and bring her home. Call me if you need any help downstairs. I can be back here in less than an hour."

After Ishida left, Ulquiorra looked around. His apartment was trashed. What the hell was he going to do now? He sighed. "Do you feel like helping me go through the shit downstairs? Do you know anything about IT stuff? I don't think Hirano's guy is gonna make it," Ulquiorra said to Kurosaki.

"Yeah, I'm curious about what kind of weird shit a guy like that has around his place, anyway. I'm not much of an IT guy though.

"You just want to see that tape."

"Despite what you may think, I'm not really all that excited to watch her get fucked by you, Cifer. And I'm not really into guys, so… Hard pass."

Ulquiorra laughed. "Well let's get this over with."

The two men left the trashed apartment and walked down the stairs to the one below. The door was hanging open and the green-eyed man didn't say anything as they walked into the dark space. Ulquiorra flipped the lights on, shocked by the sight before him.

He had never been in Crofton's apartment, but the dead man had stepped foot into his many times. It made him shiver in disgust. He knew why he'd never been invited inside the novelist's apartment. The walls of the place were covered with pictures of Orihime. There were candid photos of her; of them; of him.

The sight made Ulquiorra sick to his stomach and appalled at what he had lived over for almost two years. In the photos that showcased him and Orihime, Ulquiorra's face had been disfigured or blacked out. "Holy shit," he uttered as he looked around.

That wasn't even the worst of it.

When he turned to the another wall, Ulquiorra's mouth dropped open.

"Dude... This is disturbing," Ichigo muttered as he faced one wall of pictures. He was quiet after that as he squinted his eyes and looked carefully. "What the— Orihime has a tattoo?"

He was trying to comprehend why there were pictures of Orihime printed out with various words and phrases written all over the photos. Why there were pictures of Crofton's dick taped to the print outs. Ulquiorra heard Kurosaki's words and pivoted. "She has a couple-What the fuck?"

Naked. Skin. Fuck. Ulquiorra saw all the pictures he had taken the night of their little venture into making a video to look back on. Crofton even printed out the last picture he had taken that night. It took all he had not to punch something. "Don't fucking stand there, help me take these down!" Ulquiorra snapped as he stepped forward, ripping the paper from the walls.

"Sorry, I just… It felt like I shouldn't touch her," Kurosaki said with an awkward grimace, then started ripping things off the wall.

"Standing there gawking at them is so much better. Ugh. This asshole," Ulquiorra stated. "Crofton, not you. I can't believe this. We didn't even know."

"I'm sorry, that blows. I'm going to look under the sink for a garbage bag for these," the shinigami said, leaving Ulquiorra alone in the madness for a moment.

His stomach roiled as he tore the images from their place, throwing them to the floor. How the hell had Crofton amassed so many pictures of Orihime? Had he followed her around? Ulquiorra was about to take down another picture but he recognized it. Orihime and him in that booth at From Dusk. Crofton had pictures of them all the way until they disappeared behind that private door. There were pictures of her out and about, doing her daily things. There were Instagram photos. There were pictures of her at school. The level of obsession far exceeded what Ulquiorra felt for the redhead.

Ichigo returned with a handful of bags and started picking up papers and photos that littered the floor. "Hey, why don't you check the computer? I'll finish the walls," he suggested. He could feel the other man's level of disturbance increasing.

"I had to follow Orihime around before I kidnapped her for Aizen, but my level of devotion to the task was way below this," Ulquiorra said, looking around. He saw the computer, laying on its side. The monitor was on the floor, smashed. "I don't think it will work."

"Just grab the tower, we can bring it up to your place if your monitor is still working."

Ulquiorra hadn't even evaluated the state of his own belongings. The thought was depressing as he walked over to where the computer sat and started unhooking it. He placed it in the genkan and then walked back over to the desk. There were notebooks everywhere. "How is this damage going to be contained?"

"Don't throw those notebooks away. There may be information in there that indicates how far he spread his collection around. If you don't wanna read them Ishida and I will do it," Ichigo said.

He flipped through one notebook. "This is a log of everything I did in a month. When I left. When I came back. When Orihime first came to my apartment._Murcielago brought home another whore. _" Ulquiorra put that notebook to the side and then picked up another one. This one detailed what Orihime did. He couldn't read this. With a sigh, Ulquiorra gathered all the notepads he could find and put them beside the computer.

Ichigo had just about finished stripping the walls of the main space. He went into the bedroom and found more of the same, and ripped them down as well, stuffing more garbage bags. The bathroom, too, had pictures of Orihime. Ichigo called Ishida while he was in there. He was beginning to worry about finishing the job before the authorities arrived.

"Yo, Ishida. Did you drop her off yet?"

"Kurosaki? Yeah. I'm on my way back all. Why?"

"This place is a fucking madhouse of horrors. We're going to need to comb through it to take all the traces of Inoue out of here. Then we'll need to trash it to look like an accident. Cifer is starting to lose his shit, too, I can feel it. Hurry," Ichigo said as he ended the call.

He stepped out of the bathroom and started turning over furniture and cushions in the living room, and called out, "How ya holding up, Cifer?"

Ulquiorra had a small tablet in his hands. He was watching what looked to be a professional looking cut of the two videos that were taken. Rage started swelling him. Ulquiorra's hands started to tremble. He couldn't look away from seeing himself having sex with Orihime. "I'm not," he answered in a flat tone. "This needs to go with us."

He turned the tablet off and held up it. "It has the video on it."

"Alright. Put it in the pile. You go upstairs and pack what you want to bring over to Orihime's place. Whatever you can't bring with you now, throw on a pile in the middle of the room. Ishida and I will bring it later; he's almost here. Same with the stuff here; the trash and everything is coming over to her place. No, scratch that, we'll take it to Urahara's. If the cops come sniffing you don't want his shit over there. Ishida and I will scrub this place. Can you trust us? Orihime is gonna need you when she wakes up," Ichigo directed. If there was one thing the shinigami was good at, it was taking the lead. He wasn't even sure _why _he was doing it other than he had a compulsion to do so.

"Are you-Are you sure?" Ulquiorra asked. He looked at Kurosaki who was currently shoving trash into a bag. "You're right. I'm gonna go up there and get stuff ready. I still don't know how I'm going to explain this to the landlord." He stood up. "Do you think there might be anything else we needed to check before vacating the premises?"

"Don't worry about it. Ishida is meticulous. We'll get it done. You do your place. Get everything important; the cops might take whatever you don't bring as evidence. In the meantime, I'm going to make sure there is nothing in the media cabinet," Ichigo said, clicking the power button for the television remote controller. He was not prepared for what displayed on the screen.

Theo Crofton sat in a desk chair, looking right into the camera. His eyes, even in life, even on camera, held the same desperate, unhinged quality as they had when he was a hollow not an hour ago.

Uryu chose that moment to enter the apartment. "What's going on?" he asked.

Ulquiorra and Ichigo shushed him, their eyes glued to the television screen. Ishida's joined them.

"My name is Theobald Titus Crofton. If you're seeing this then that means that my plan was successful."

Ulquiorra felt his knees shake upon hearing those words.

"I have kidnapped Inoue Orihime. I have impregnated her and once that child is born, I plan on killing her by means of asphyxiation. I've also disposed of one Ulquiorra Cifer, who is known as C. Murcielago. He came between me and my plan. It would have been executed sooner but that asshole had to get in the way!" The man on the screen took a deep breath. "That pretentious dickwad has brought home a different bitch almost every night I have lived in this building. They're all the same. Red hair, short, with huge tits by Japanese standards. Then about a year ago the model I became obsessed with comes walking right into the building. This was my time to shine, only to find out that Cifer defiled her several weeks later with his stupid haircut and his gaudy tattoos. He says he wears contacts but no one's eyes are that green nor do the pupils on contacts constrict or widen. I have pictures on my computer of this moment. I have pictures and videos of every time they had sex. All it took was waiting for Cifer to go someplace, break in and place the wireless cameras."

Crofton paused to take a sip out of a mug. "I miss real fucking coffee. I'm going to be so glad when I leave this hell hole of a country and take my child back to America so that I'll get real coffee again. Not that Cifer matters anymore. I won. I have the woman and he's dead. I threatened to leak a video that the idiot made her do… Of course he made her do it because there is no way in hell that someone as sweet and innocent as Miss Inoue would do or suggest something like that. The images that he recorded were absolutely filthy. Anyway, this video, there are two copies of it. One is on my tablet; the other is on the hard drive of my computer. I may have threatened to leak it but I am a stingy and greedy man. I would never share those images with anyone. She was mine. She has always been mine. I'm truly sorry for this but it's just the way things have to be done."

The screen went dark for a moment, then the video started again. It must have been set to repeat.

"What the fuck…" Ichigo whispered, pulling a clammy hand down his face.

"Good fucking riddance," the Quincy muttered, walking up to the television and turning it off. He pulled it away from the cabinet, following the cables in the back down to a disc player. He popped open the tray and found an unlabeled disc, and pocketed it. Without a word, he started to go through every shelf and drawer in the cabinet.

Ulquiorra felt like he could not breathe and he sat down heavily on the closet piece of furniture, which was a simple stool. Rage swelled inside of him again. He did not care if that asshole was dead, Titus needed to die over and over again! He looked at Kurosaki and then Quin. "Ishida, what are you going to do with that?"

"Destroy it. I'm sure fire would work. Otherwise we could just toss it in the microwave."

"Do you think he would have done what he said? If we hadn't figured it out?" This time his green eyes darted between either man.

Ichigo faced Ulquiorra with his hands on his hips. "Listen, I think he would have tried. I don't think he would have succeeded, at least not where Orihime is concerned. Not only does she have us protecting her, but she's pretty scrappy herself. You saw what she did on the roof. If it had been her alone, I doubt she would have healed that flesh wound she inflicted. She's a survivor. She always has been," he trailed off a bit at the end, memories of Orihime as a girl carrying her dead brother and facing him as a hollow circling in his brain. "She always survives."

Ishida shook his head in disapproval at the Shinigami. What a sentimental fool. "Whatever, she would have fought to the death regardless. She would have protected you too, Cifer. Besides, I wouldn't let anything happen to her. Unless she's too far away, I can always feel where she is. This Crofton guy was just a nutjob. Without that tape to threaten you two with, he had nothing. It could have continued indefinitely… Or he could have ramped up his plan. It doesn't matter now though, he's dead and he's not coming back. Nobody gets the chances you got, Cifer. Not unless they have her on their side."

Ulquiorra shook his head. They were wrong. Everyone and every hollow had a chance at redemption. He had realized this too late though. The only reason he was saved from hell and got to come back was because he found his heart and that snafu with the Soul King happened. The only thing that Orihime had to do with his resurrection was the fact that she was the person that he loved. She was the reason he found his heart again.

Knowing Kurosaki wouldn't understand this concept, Ulquiorra said nothing. When he felt calmer than he had been, he stood. "I better get working on my apartment. I'm probably in the way down here."

"You aren't, but you're the only one who knows what you need so it just makes sense for you to go up there," Ishida said matter-of-factly. "I think we can have this place sufficiently torn up in 20 minutes. Be ready to go by then. If you're done early, just go to her. Urahara is going to have a truck waiting for us around the corner so we can take everything in one go. Don't forget your art, Cifer."

The artist raised an eyebrow and then nodded. "I'll have my things ready." He left the apartment and walked up the stairs to his own place. He looked around the wreckage and sighed. His computer seemed intact. The easels had been knocked over and his basket of paints were destroyed, probably from the force of whatever he had done. What else would he need? Clothes? Toiletries? All of the documents that Urahara had given him? He used flash step to get to the loft and found several suitcases in his closet. He grabbed whatever clothing that would fit in one and then put everything he needed in the other. He moved quickly to put those in the genkan. His computer needed to be unhooked which didn't take that much time. He grabbed his laptop that he had bought during the first time he stayed at Orihime's place and he grabbed one of the easels. After he was done with that he grabbed his stuff out of the bathroom.

He texted Ishida and told him he was done.

Ishida texted back:

\- Ok, leave everything you want us to take in a pile. Urahara is here, btw. If you feel for his spiritual pressure you'll find the truck. You can take a load down with you then take your immediate stuff and flash over to my place. Hime is still out (I left her a note to text me when she woke up).

Ulquiorra thought about it for a moment before he looked around the loft. Nothing here was worth keeping. Everything could be replaced, and what couldn't had already packed up to go. He stood there for several more seconds before climbing the ladder to get his pillows, throwing those over the side wall. He grabbed that box on top of his dresser that he kept his valuables in. Then he looked around again. Once he was back near the entrance to the apartment, he loaded up his arms with stuff.

He pinpointed where Urahara was at and shook his head. His camera and other stuff were inside that locker with Orihime's luggage, so he didn't have to worry about that.

\- Just grab my easels and the any sketchbooks you can find.

* * *

Ishida and Kurosaki eventually enjoyed the chore of trashing Crofton's apartment, throwing Quincy arrows and Getsuga Tenshos at the cleared out space. They planned on reporting to the landlord that it had been a lightning strike that cause the damage to the apartment, and that they had been visiting the artist upstairs when it happened, and although there was no burn damage on the 12th floor, the windows had been blown out and the items near the windows had been trashed.

The landlord kind of had his hands full with the whole ordeal of having a jumper. He would have bought whatever story the strange pair were selling.

It actually took Ishida and Kurosaki a couple hours to clear out all the stuff from Crofton's and Ulquiorra's apartment before they did the other things, though. Crofton's closets, cupboards, mattresses, medicine cabinets; everything had been cleared.

They had taken everything Ulquiorra set aside and then spent some time going through his place again. Quin was certain the former Espada had been suffering mental stress and probably was not as careful as he ought to be. They found piles of sketch pads and photographs. They found his contact books and CD collection, small as it was. The artist really didn't have a lot of stuff. Quin didn't care much for his wardrobe and was fine leaving much of what had been left behind there.

At about nine o'clock that evening, Urahara, Uryu, and Ichigo showed up at the Quincy and Orihime's apartment with Ulquiorra's stuff and a couple of bags of chinese food.

"How is it going in here?" Uryu said softly, having opened the door to Orihime's room a few inches and knocking on the door jamb.

Ulquiorra raised his head from where he lay behind Orihime. "She's still out," he replied. "She's mumbled stuff a couple of times but other than that..." he trailed off unsure what to say.

"That's great! I'm impressed. After letting her reiatsu get that low I'd expect her to be near comatose still. Anyway, you should come out and get some food and we'll tell you what happened after you left. Later Kurosaki can give her a boost."

He didn't really want to leave the bed or the woman but it looked like Quin wasn't giving him much of a choice. Sitting up, Ulquiorra nodded, "Give me a moment. I'll be out."

It didn't take him long to find clean clothes, which he put on, and when he exited the room, Ulquiorra left the door cracked, just in case Orihime woke up. He saw the Shinigami and the shopkeeper sitting by Quin, talking. All of a sudden, he lost his appetite.

"What's the matter, Cifer-san?" The shopkeeper asked. Being a scientist, he was keenly observant, especially when the subject was as interesting as a born-again Espada.

"If you're here that means you want to pick apart what happened," Ulquiorra replied, crossing his arms across his chest.

The shopkeeper tilted his head back to allow the guarded man access to his eyes. "No need for that, Cifer-san. I've been apprised of the situation over the course of our journey here. I'm just here for the food. You can't find dim sum like this in Karakura."

"Speaking of, I better get in there and do it before we have to go back. I don't know how much she's going to need," Ichigo said, standing up and wiping his hands on his jeans. He turned toward Orihime's room and started walking, asking as he went, "Just enough for a jump-start, right Kisuke?"

Ulquiorra did not believe that bullshit. "What do you think of it then? You have to have an opinion about what they faced. Maybe you have answers of why a Hollow would turn so quickly."

"I do. I saw what these two brought into my truck. This man was already losing his soul, long before he died by the looks of it. It's no surprise to me that he hollowfied right away. That his soul was not immediately sucked into hell is a testament to the fact that it is by our deeds, not our thoughts, that we are judged. However, I'm just a humble shopkeeper. What do I know of such things?"

"Right. A humble shopkeeper that can use flash step and has a Zanpakuto."

"Well I didn't say I didn't have any pizzaz."

Ulquiorra snorted. "I hear jazz hands are all the rage." He rolled his eyes as he walked over to where the food and the men were sitting. He grabbed one of the containers, looking into it. He wasn't hungry but he mainly wanted to avoid saying anything else to the blond.

The older shinigami swallowed whatever he'd been chewing on. "Oh, right, Kurosaki-san. Yes, just enough to get her back on her feet. She deserves it after what she pulled off today," he said and turned his head to the green-eyed man as Kurosaki walked into the darkened bedroom. "You must be very proud of her, Cifer-san."

Green eyes lifted from the container of rice to the man's face. "I take pride in everything my woman does. She has done remarkable things in such a short time."

"Indeed. To Inoue-san!" Urahara said, raising a toast in the form of a plastic container of egg-drop soup and taking a sip. "But what the two of you pulled off today… It shouldn't be possible. And yet, you did it. I don't think that you could do it again now even if you wanted to."

"I don't think I'd ever want to try that again. I was willing to sacrifice myself to protect Orihime and give Ishida and Kurosaki a chance to kill that thing." Ulquiorra glanced at the Quincy and then Urahara.

Quin actually spit out what was in his mouth, unable to hold back the laughter that kicked him in the gut. It took him a moment to gather his composure enough to squeak out, "You actually think for a second that she would let you die for her? Again? You're an idiot. As long as she lives you're golden."

* * *

Ichigo closed the door behind him as he went into her room, not wanting the men's voices in the next room to disturb her rest. He sat on the side of her bed and carefully laid a hand on her shoulder, then closed his eyes and relaxed, letting a slow, gentle stream of spiritual pressure flow into her.

After a few minutes, his posture started to slump, and he decided to lie down and get comfortable. It didn't take long for him to left his hand run down from her shoulder to her waist; it was more comfortable for him that way.

He let his thoughts drift off to those that had been plaguing him for the past few years; thoughts about the woman lying next to him. He'd been so blind to her for so long. It was truly painful when his friends pointed out to him how desperately in love she had been with him, only for him to ignore her for all those years, and now, when his heart was open to hers, that door had been closed on her end.

It wasn't fair.

He was starting to get riled up again. He breathed slowly through his nose, picking up the smell of her hair. It had Ulquiorra all over it. It also had a bit of a toasty smell from all the exploding reiatsu that day. But underneath it all, it still smelled pure and sweet like the 16-year old girl he had gone to Hueco Mundo to play hero for.

He'd been a fool.

His breathing struggled a bit as he let self-pity take over in the darkness and he pulled the small woman to his chest, burying his nose in her hair and holding her around the waist. No one would know. He could steal this moment as he gave her what no one else could. They were connected in this; his shinigami transformation and her proximity to the hogyoku is what had awakened her power. Only he could so easily transfer spiritual pressure to her.

It would have probably been fine, what he was doing, had he not fallen asleep.

* * *

He wanted to go check on them. The food was gone and leftovers put away, but every time he went to stand up Urahara had another question for him. Ulquiorra had grown tired of it. "I'm going to get my phone, I'll be right back."

As soon as he opened the door and turned the lights on, he started yelling. "What the fuck? I fucking knew it, Kurosaki! You just think because you saved the day you can take what you want? Get the fuck out of my bed and away from my fiancee! Fucking worthless bastard!"

The blackened-green reiatsu flicked along his fists.

Quin was behind Ulquiorra in a flash. "Cifer, breathe. I'm sure it isn't what it looks like, _is it, Kurosaki? _"

"BULLSHIT! He's been trying to get into her fucking pants ever since I've been around!" Ulquiorra shouted and grabbed the man by his hair, forcing him to sit up.

Ichigo swatted at Ulquiorra's hands as a reflex, but then held them up innocently. "Sorry! I'm sorry, for real, I feel asleep. I didn't mean it." It wasn't totally a lie. He didn't mean to do it and he did fall asleep, just not in the order he professed. "Like I would be that stupid. I, uh, I thought she was Yui."

Ulquiorra knew he didn't have the fucking energy to choke the man out with his spiritual pressure. Like Orihime, he had depleted his entirely, so he did what any man would do when they caught someone in bed with their woman. Ulquiorra punched him in the eye with all the strength he could muster. "Fuck off, Orihime's ten times better than your whore. Get the fuck out."

"Fuck! Cocksucker! Why'd you have to hit me? That's going to bruise," Ichigo whined, holding a hand to his rapidly swelling eye. "I know she is, by the way," he said, standing up and turning toward Orihime. "She's not done, you know. She needs more."

"Maybe you should come back when you're not so tired, fuckface." Ulquiorra was still angry. He wanted to snarl and hiss at the orange-haired man. He had just chased a man away from Orihime, couldn't he have some peaceful moments without having someone else trying to hump her leg?

Ichigo scoffed. "I'm almost done I think. She can probably take a little more force now," he said, ignoring Ulquiorra and putting his hand back down on Orihime's shoulder, but not sitting on the bed. "If you want I'll go sit on the floor on the other side. This shouldn't take more than another 15-20 minutes." At this point he just wanted to finish and get the fuck away from the pissed off artist.

Ishida was still standing in the doorway. "Hurry it up, will ya Kurosaki? Some of us have things to do tomorrow. By the way, Cifer, how many of those tattoos on her did you design?"

The artist shook his head. "None of them. She took the design for the four. The other one she designed herself."

Quin smiled at his sleeping roommate. "She's talented," he said, looking back to Ulquiorra. He was trying to keep the man's mind occupied while his apparent rival had his hands on his fiancee.

"She's a woman who know what she wants," Ulquiorra replied. He couldn't resist taking a jab at Kurosaki.

Ichigo ignored him. He wanted to finish and get the fuck out of there.

"Well I know she's going to want some food when she wakes up so you better not have polished off all the fried rice, man," Ishida replied, trying to keep it going.

"I'm not stupid," Ulquiorra stated. "You shouldn't have let Urahara eat all that pork though. Oh well. Do you really need to give her a little bit more, Kurosaki? Can't you come back at a decent hour tomorrow?"

Ichigo was feeling unappreciated. It was not something he was used to and he didn't take kindly to it. "Fine. I'm done. You act like you care about her or love her or whatever but you can't even wait until she's back on her feet to fuck her. It's fucking disgusting," Ichigo was growing belligerent. "You know what? I'm not letting you. You can just sit there and watch."

"Excuse the fuck out of me?" Ulquiorra asked in an offended tone. "I do not want to fuck her as you put it. I'm fucking tired you ass. I've not slept since Wednesday and the little sleep that I've gotten has been plagued with dreams and nightmares. So fuck you, Kurosaki. What would you know about loving her?_You don't know shit _!"

That stung. That hit a little too close to home. "Nothing. I know nothing." Ichigo responded in a flat voice. He moved his hand to Orihime's chest, right above her breasts, and closed his eyes, sending a visible pulse of blackish-red reiatsu into her. "There," he muttered as he stomped out of the room.

"Thank you," Ulquiorra called after the petulant brat.

Ichigo flipped him the bird as he walked out of sight. Quin and Ulquiorra could hear him grouse at Urahara to get going. The shopkeeper popped his head into the door. "Thank you for your hospitality, Ishida-san, Cifer-san. I hope Inoue-san is better by morning. She seems much improved. I'll hold onto your evidence for a few days and then destroy it. If there is anything you need me to hold let me know. I bid you a goodnight, then!" he said with a tip of his hat and then turned to scurry after the younger, irate shinigami.

* * *

Although he had told Quin goodnight, Ulquiorra didn't sleep. He kept tossing and turning while thinking things over. Is that what Kurosaki thought; that he used Orihime only for sex? If he wanted sex, all he had to do was walk into some club and find the first bitch who wasn't drunk and didn't look like she whored around for a living. He rolled over and draped an arm over Orihime's waist.

"I love you, Woman. I hope you know that," he murmured. "I love you more than I love my own life. I would protect you from anything. I know you need rest and you're asleep, but I just wanted you to know that."

She rolled toward him and rested her head into his chest and started snoring. She knew. Sometime in the middle of the night she murmured, "We protect each other," and went right back to snoring.

She woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and chipper. And _starving _.

Ulquiorra was still asleep when he felt someone poking his face. At first it was one cheek and then the other. Something was tapping his nose. He cracked one eyelid open to see copper hair. "What, Woman?" he asked groggily. He still hadn't slept all that well.

"I have several complaints. One, I'm hungry, and there's only half-eaten chinese in the fridge and none of it has my name on it. Two, I stink like Kurosaki - why? Three, I had the WEIRDEST, most convoluted and terrifying dream, and four, you haven't kissed me yet."

"Eat the chinese, it's what we had from last night. I saved you some fried rice," Ulquiorra mumbled, rolling from his side onto his back. This time both eyes were open. "You needed a spiritual pressure infusion and I cannot give you one because I'm out of the stuff myself."

He shifted so that his arms were around her and pulled her closer. "I will kiss you after you eat and I get up; does that please my woman?"

She grumbled under her breath as she got up, mostly unintelligible, but he could make out, "...you could just do it _now _…"

It was too early in the morning for sass. Ulquiorra scrambled over the bed and grabbed her wrist before pulling her back onto the bed. His mouth attached to the side of her neck under her earlobe, sucking gently before he bit the skin. His mouth trailed down her neck and across the hollow of her throat before making its way to her lips. After a few seconds, Ulquiorra let her go and lightly smacked her ass. "Good morning, Orihime," he said with a smirk.

She slid her eyes over to him with an otherwise wary expression on her face. "I'll say," she replied with a tiny laugh.

"Go eat. I'll get up. You can tell me about this dream and then we have some things to discuss," Ulquiorra said as he stretched, showing off his bare chest.

Orihime purred at the display, trailing a finger from his hollow tattoo to his navel, quickly, then getting up. "Okay," she chirped, trotting toward the kitchen. She bent over, burrowing her head into the fridge, then popped it back out when her arms were full of take-out containers. "It wasn't really a dream, was it?" she said, less cheerful than she was a moment ago. The memories seemed to take shape and he could see on her face as she recalled what had happened the previous day. Suddenly, she beamed at him.

"Holy shit! We did, like, a DBZ Fusion!"

Ulquiorra had pulled on a pair of sweats before he followed her. "We did a what?" he asked, not understanding her words. He didn't know what a DBZ was or why there would be a fusion. "It wasn't a dream, Woman. My apartment was destroyed and so was… Crofton's."

Orihime shuddered a bit at his name, but smiled at Ulquiorra again. "Well, we did it. We protected each other and we won. DBZ is Dragon Ball… You know what? Never mind, it's not important. The important thing is that that tape never goes anywhere."

"Tape? There is no tape anymore." Ulquiorra stood in the doorway of the kitchen with a serious look on his face. "It's been destroyed. Orihime, Crofton… His entire apartment was covered in you. Pictures and photos of you; me; us together." He shook his head to try and get rid of the disturbing mental images.

She was greatly relieved and disturbed at the same time. "I'm sorry you had to see that," she said, judging by his expression that he was haunted by the memory. "I'm glad it's over though. What did you want to discuss?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

Ulquiorra sighed. "I'm glad that you didn't have to see it. You've been out since I-detonated. It felt like a bomb going off. Titus Hollow is dead, that's one thing. Two, I'm living here now. I'm gonna be going over to the apartment and pack up the rest of my stuff and put it in a storage place."

She grinned at him. "Finally!" she exclaimed, then shoveled some fried rice into her gob.

"It's just until I can find a place for us. Maybe I'll look around closer to your graduation," he said. "Also… You need to tell Kurosaki to cool it. He was found in _our _ bed last night asleep next to you with his arms all wrapped around you."

She bit the inside of her cheek and nodded, trying not to growl. She had no memory of that, but imagining it made her seethe. "That is not appropriate. I'll talk to him."

"I know he saved us all and whatnot but he acts like he did all the work and we didn't contribute anything," the man said.

"Oh hell no. Just because we're not over-powered freaks like him doesn't mean our badass moment wasn't the play of the week. We were the MVPs. Not him. Not this time!" she said, biting down on a dumpling for emphasis.

He tried not to cringe when she did that. Owww. Teeth. Ulquiorra shook his head again. "One more thing. When did you want to leave for Mongolia? I'm not going to stay the entire time. I'll stay enough time to model for Pauletto for allowing me to drag you away. I think staying here today and maybe tomorrow would be wise, just so you can fully recover."

"Yeah, that's a good idea, plus I don't want to get there before Pauletto and company do. They're scheduled to arrive in two days… I hate to ask you, do you have money for this? Because I surely don't," she admitted, embarrassed.

"Orihime, don't worry about it. I can take care of you. I mean I do owe you royalties for making money off your image. From what I've read, people love the prints. I was thinking of doing a limited edition run," Ulquiorra replied. He took a deep breath. "If we do that again, you know, you posing nude, I will not use our phones. Only my camera."

"Uh, good idea about the prints, _very _good idea about the camera. But maybe also invest in a little point-and-shoot one, you know, so your arms don't get tired while you're, uh, busy."

"Busy?" he asked raising an eyebrow with a smirk. "Oh..." His tone was mischievous. Ulquiorra shrugged. "Maybe, but, I don't have plans for another _private _photoshoot for a while. I've got enough images to last me for a while. At least for my next show."

"Your next show? When is it? Am I going to miss another one?"

He shook his head. "I don't have another scheduled until… I don't know when it is. It's close to December or January."

"Oh pfew," she said with a smile of relief. "I'm glad you're coming with me to Mongolia. I mean, it's really cool to get the opportunity to travel and see all these places, and the other girls can be nice, but we're always pretty tired and I get lonely. And if I act lonely… then I gotta look out for pervy photographers. Hey! You'll fit right in!" she said, nudging her with her shoulder.

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. "I'm the pervert? I don't think so, Woman. You're the one who eyes me like I'm some kind of delicacy every time I take my clothes off," he said with a smile.

"Well duh… I mean, I'm not the only one who's noticed. You _are _a delicacy."

"Heh," he chuckled uncomfortably. Ulquiorra couldn't help but remember Crofton's words.

_Murcielago brought home another whore._

_That pretentious dickwad has brought home a different bitch almost every night I have lived in this building. They're all the same. Red hair, short, with huge tits by Japanese standards. _

Lots of people noticed him. Lots of women.

"You alright? You kind of spaced out on me," Orihime said, waving a hand in front of him gently.

Shaking his head, Ulquiorra shrugged. "Just something I was remembering," he said. It was easy to brush off all the women before her but having Kurosaki and Ishida listen the Crofton's words made him doubt himself all over again. He _ had _defiled her. He wasn't anything more than a piece of shit who lured her into sleeping with him.

"Oh yeah? What is it?" she asked, packing what was left of the leftovers away.

"Nothing, just something stupid about the other day," he stated. "Really, it's nothing. One of those random-It's like when a dog sees a squirrel or a cat."

"When a who sees a what now? I don't know what you mean," she chuckled as she returned the boxes to the fridge.

Ulquiorra sighed. He didn't want to have to explain the animated film he watched about a old guy and a talking dog. "It was just a random thought. Orihime?"

"Yeah?"

"If you were to find out something about me," Ulquiorra said but stopped. He had think of how to phrase the question. "How many women do you think I've slept with?"

She shut the fridge and turned around, leaning her backside against it and leaning forward a bit. She didn't look at his as she considered his question. "Ummm… If I were a gambling woman, I'd say…. let's see, four years here before we met, I'd give you a few months to get the hang of picking up chicks, and let's say you went out three or four times a week… somewhere around 600?" She looked up at him with a curious expression and added, "That seems extreme. I would bet some of those were doubles, so maybe close to 350. I hope…"

"Crofton had notebooks in his apartment. He documented every time I brought someone home. I don't know why he did it..." Ulquiorra turned around and walked back into her bedroom. He felt horrible. He felt like a lowlife just because her crazy stalker had also stalked him. It didn't make sense. Maybe the guy thought the same thing, maybe he was trying to find his own Orihime. He buried his face into his hands.

Going through everything in the past week or two had been hell on him. He thought he could just shove it to the side to deal with later. Seeing Crofton jump and what happened in his apartment… Then seeing the inside of Crofton's murder hut and having to endure everything that they found in there. It was starting to affect him.

Orihime had noticed a change in Ulquiorra and decided he might need a little space. Maybe the cheerful, "spunky survivor" facade she wore to keep herself from recalling the terror she had felt was not helping him. She decided to stay in the kitchen for awhile and clean up the mess the men had left there the night before.

It took him a moment… Several long moments before he felt like he could face things and see them logically. Ulquiorra knew his brain had an irrational side to it; very rarely as an Espada had he experienced it. "Hime?" he said, returning to the kitchen.

"What's up?" she asked, keeping herself busy with the dishes.

"Do you want help?"

She turned to smile at him. "That would be lovely, thank you!" she said, passing him a towel to start drying.

Picking up the first dish, he began to dry it, wiping off the sides methodically. "I think the number is close to four-hundred. I tried not to sleep with the same woman more than once. I didn't want to give them the wrong impression. I'm telling you this because-because-Crofton was going-he made this thing, a video… it told of his plans; what he was going to do to you and me. Had I not met you again, none of this would have happened. Had I just stayed to myself, you'd be okay."

She didn't look at him as her wet hand grabbed his sleeve. "You don't know that. You know he told me in his voicemails that I was his first. That means he had designs on me before we met. If not for you, I could be dead or worse by now. Nobody will ever know though, because he's gone. Gone for good." She released his sleeve and went back to her chore.

"I know," he said as he set the cup down and reached for another wet dish. "I just feel-inadequate."

She knit her eyebrows and looked at him at an angle, and with a disconcerted face, asking, "Why? What could Crofton possibly have said to make you feel that way? He was a lunatic. You'd do well to disregard everything he ever wrote or said."

"He has-had pictures. The day you slept at my place. The night I took your virginity. He even has images of us in that club where we had sex."

"So? He was a pervert and a voyeur. What does that have to do with you?"

"He was going to kill me. Get me out of the way so he could knock you up and then when the kid was born, he was going to get rid of you!" Ulquiorra set the plate down forcefully. "Ever since I've come into your life, I've brought nothing but drama and heartache."

"Pfffft!" she turned to look at him this time, resting her hip against the sink and asking him to turn to face her by pressing on his shoulder. "You think _you _bring the drama? My darling Ulquiorra, my entire life has been one long parade of drama and bullshit. So that nutcase Titus had his little plan. Well guess what? He would have had it with or without you. It's not like I was ever in a million lifetimes going to lay there and let him have his way with me, much less 'knock me up'. And kill you? Over my fucking dead body!" She paused to take a breath and examine his face. She wasn't sure she was getting through to him. "Anyway, you're wrong. You have brought some drama, yes. A little dose of heartbreak here and there. Okay, a couple big doses. But that's life. Shit happens. You move on or you don't. We've moved on together. And you have brought me so much more than drama and heartbreak. You've brought me joy and adventure and art and inspiration and…" she slowed and breathed as a small smile crept into her voice. "And love. I've never loved anyone the way I love you."

Was she saying... Was she saying everything was alright? That she didn't blame him for any of this? He felt choked up with emotion. Putting the towel onto the small counter, Ulquiorra grabbed the woman and wrapped his arms around her, bending down to kiss her passionately. "I love you. The gods know I love you. I will convince everyone around us that I love you."

She put her arms at either side of his neck, connecting her hands behind his head, and tilted her head as he told her his mission. "I don't know that it is necessary, but I think I would enjoy seeing your efforts," she said with a sly grin, then stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, a nice, long press, and then another kiss on his nose for good measure. "So, what do you want to do today?" she asked as she leaned back to look at his face.

"I know what I want to do today and I also know what I have to do," he said, looking down at her. "I want to spend the day with you, maybe in your bed. I have to contact Hirano to have her hire some help to clean my apartment completely out and find some kind of storage. Maybe where I store my paintings will have space. I also have to book us flights and a hotel."

"Well I think you can accomplish many of those goals _from _bed if you want to get technical," she joked. There was a flash of comprehension on her face then, and she looked at Ulquiorra with mild alarm. "What are we going to tell your landlord?"

"I have no clue. I think Quin took care of it? I'd have to ask him but I'm not really sure," he answered.

Orihime smirked. "If those two boys 'took care of it,' I'm sure they had a bit too much fun trashing the place and said it was an act of god. It's kind of their signature move." She sighed then. "Speaking of boys, I guess I have a phone call to make today too, don't I? I had almost pushed it from my mind."

He nodded. "You need to set him straight," Ulquiorra said, before hugging her closer. He dropped his voice down to a whisper. "I could do all of that from bed but I need to concentrate while doing that. I can't do that with you on top of me, naked and wet."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "For productivity's sake, I will show restraint. Besides, maybe you can make your calls while naked but I'm not exactly comfortable _thinking _about him, much less talking to him, in such a state," she said with a nervous giggle.

"Well, after our phone calls, I'm going to have you on your bed and I am going to do things to you, Woman," Ulquiorra told her. He bit his bottom lip and smirked.

"Hmmmm… I'll hold you to it." She looked up at the clock on the microwave and twisted her lips into a sideways pout. "I think it's kinda early to call Ich- Kurosaki yet. What time did they leave yesterday?"

Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed slightly. It was hard to give up old habits. He knew this better than anyone. "When I found him asleep next to you it was late, close to midnight? When he actually left it had to be after, maybe close to one in the morning? He had to wake up Urahara."

She nodded. She saw him flinch when she almost said 'Ichigo'. She didn't know why she did it, but she wondered if it had something to do with the reiatsu transfusion; she felt unnaturally close to the shinigami at the moment. "I think I ought to wait until around eleven. I don't want to put it off any longer than I have to, though. What do you think?'

"I, uh, that might be a wise choice," he said.

She nodded. "Well, in the meantime, you can make some of your calls if you want. Do you mind me unpacking some of your stuff? I can make room for you in the closet and the dresser."

"You can, but what about Ishida? I just assumed I was gonna stay here. He may not want me around. I could find temporary housing. I'll ask Hirano-" Ulquiorra stopped after seeing Orihime's face.

She looked at him like she wanted to call him an idiot. "You will not. Ishida is wrapped around my little finger, truth be told. If I want you here, here is where you shall stay," she decreed with an air of royalty, tilting her chin up and looking down her nose at him.

He laughed at her. He didn't mean to but it came out. "What are you going to do if I refuse, my Queen? Kick me in the shin and drag me to your bed?"

"That or lock you in the tower, do you have a preference?"

"Depends, are there going to be chains and handcuffs in the tower?"

She was only deterred for a second. "That could be arranged. The punishment shall be befitting of the crime. Do you consent, then, to be my prisoner?"

Ulquiorra studied the woman for a moment. "I was your prisoner the moment I set my eyes on you."

She melted. "You are a charmer, Mr. Cifer," she mumbled through pouty lips, embarrassed to be so easily knocked off her pedestal.

"You're the only woman I want to charm though, now and forever," he said. "However, you bewitched me with your power, your beauty, and your stubbornness."

She looked at him with bright eyes, studying his fine-featured face. He really was a work of art, she thought. "That you are an artist is rather fitting I think," she murmured, her hands finding their way to his body and running up to his shoulders. "Have I ever told you that you look like art?"

"You think I'm art? Woman, have you ever looked at yourself? You're-you're exquisite. You radiate beauty and you don't have to be made up like other women. You have this glow about you-" Ulquiorra stopped himself, realizing he was babbling. "Sorry, it's just, I have strong opinions about you."

"Keep going," she said with a lazy kind of smile and her hands found the back of his neck and fingertips massaged his scalp. "I could listen to you sing my praises all day," she added with enough decency to blush.

He chuckled. "Look at you getting an ego. Getting sassy with me this morning, stomping your feet when I tell you I might not let you have your way," Ulquiorra teased with a smirk. "I love how your eyes shine when you talk about your collection. I loved looking at you in Hueco Mundo, the moon was stuck in your eyes. Want me to keep going?"

She nodded, her blush intensifying and smile blossoming into a grin.

"Your body has always been something I studied. Actually touching you though, was the best thing ever to happen to me." Ulquiorra made a point by running his hands down her back with a gentle caress. "Seeing you smile; it makes this warm feeling happen in my chest. It fucking kills me when you cry. I saw every time you did so in Los Noches. I still hate seeing you cry."

She stared into his eyes for a long moment and sighed softly. "I do not wish to see you cry, but when you do, it is beautiful," she said, a finger tracing the trail of when teal marks once lined his face. "But then again, you are art, so… kinda goes with the territory," she said, breaking the overly poetic mood she had created.

"You know I could get my stripes added to my face again," Ulquiorra said, raising an eyebrow at her. He sighed and untangled their limbs from each other. "Why don't we finish this then we can get down to business?"

"Okay. You can use the table, Quin is going to be out today at class, so you'll have privacy. I am going to start getting you set up in my room until it's time for me to call the gingerbread man."

Ulquiorra nodded at his future wife. "It won't take me long," he stated. "Go get started on that and I'll finish these dishes."

* * *

He heard the mechanical whirring of the phone ringing. "H? I need you to do me a favor."

"Cif, your building. Oh my fucking god. Are you okay? Are you in the fucking hospital? I've got a fucking news shitstorm and I had no clue where the fuck you are!" Hirano was not in a good mood today, that much was obvious.

"I'm at Orihime's-"

"The fucking cops want to talk to you. If anything gets out that something happened-What happened the other day? You didn't tell me anything!"

Ulquiorra sighed. It figured she'd start freaking out. "You're acting like a fucking mother hen. Chill the fuck out and have a cup of tea. Would you listen? Actually, come to Orihime's apartment. I need to talk to you in person."

"Give me the address, I'll be there as soon as I can."

The artist gave her the address and told her he'd be waiting outside of the building.

"You got something against inviting me inside?" Hirano asked in a bitchy tone.

"Nah, the last place you entered of mine blew up."

"Fuck you, C."

"See ya in a bit, H."

Ulquiorra hung up and then walked into Orihime's bedroom-well, their bedroom and watched her from the doorway as she unpacked his stuff. "You doing okay in here?" he asked.

"Yep!" She chirped, breaking out of the song she was humming along with that was playing on her phone.

"Hirano will be stopping by, I'm gonna go meet her outside. I thought I'd walk down to that little store down the street, did you want anything?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Um, yeah, actually would you mind getting me an orange juice? I've been thirsty for it since I woke up."

Another small laugh left him. "You're thirsty?"

"Always," she said in a sing-songy type of voice that was completely devoid of irony.

Ulquiorra shook his head and walked up behind Orihime, sweeping the hair from her neck and planting a kiss where it met her shoulder. "Dishes are done, by the way."

"That's the hottest thing a man has ever said to me," she purred, reaching her hand up to his head.

He let his mouth linger there before he moved it up to her ear, murmuring against her skin. "Oh it is? How about this; I'll fold our clothes if you do laundry?" He was teasing her, and it was light-hearted because he was trying not to think of the discussion he had to have with his PR person.

"Ooh, your dirty talk is so clean it's hot," she laughed.

Rolling his eyes, he let her go and then asked, "Where're my t-shirts? I got this one _wet_."

"Oh dear, guess we'll have to get you out of it then," she said with a put-upon sigh, then bit her lip and started pulling off the offensive garment. "Do you really need a new one?"

"I mean I could give the ladies in the building a heart attack. I don't know Hirano's sexuality, but I'm pretty sure she's a lesbian. I have no clue though. I could answer the door naked," Ulquiorra replied.

"If she's a lesbian then I should answer the door naked, don't you think?" she asked, dead serious.

Ulquiorra raised his eyebrows at her. "Nope. Mine. All mine. Every inch of your body is mine, but I do need clothes to go out in public."

"Right, second and third drawers are yours, so is the left side of the closet. The higher drawer is socks and undies, lower drawer t-shirts and sweats."

He gave her a kiss before stripping out of the shirt and rummaging around the drawer she said his clothes were in. He'd keep on the sweats that he had on. It wasn't like he was trying to impress anyone. After finding a suitable long sleeved t-shirt and grabbing his stuff, Ulquiorra found a pair of his socks and walked to the genkan to get his shoes. "I'll be back in a bit, Orihime."

"See you soon, Ulquiorra," she called after him.


	40. Chapter 40

**WARNING: MATURE CONTENT**

**Chapter 40: You Stink**

She had finished putting away his things into her room and checked the time. 11 o'clock. Time to make the call she had been dreading since her fiance brought it up.

She dialed Ichigo's number and waited. On the third ring, he answered. His voice was groggy and a bit hoarse.

"Kurosaki speaking."

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

He cleared his throat. "Orihime?"

"Yes, if this isn't a good time, I can—"

The man's voice interpreted her, "No, I always have time for you. What's up?"

"We need to talk."

* * *

Ulquiorra pulled the hood of his pullover over his head and started walking towards the convenience store. He was constantly looking around, wary of his surroundings. Although Crofton was dead, he still felt paranoid. Once he got to the place, Ulquiorra got Orihime a bottle of juice and then one for himself because orange juice did sound good.

Standing in front of a refrigerated case, he was looking at onigiri when he heard someone speak to him. When he turned towards the voice, he was surprised to see a tiny woman with deep crimson hair, the bangs almost falling into her eyes.

"You are Murcielago, aren't you?"

"It depends on who is asking," Ulquiorra replied. She was cute and had everything he looked for in a romp in bed, that is _if _he was looking.

"You don't remember me?"

He was going to turn and ignore the woman but he glanced at her. He pulled the fabric of his hood down off of his head. Remember her? Ulquiorra was sure he'd never seen this woman in his entire life. "Nah, you don-"

"Oh my god, you're hotter with that haircut. I mean I've seen pictures of you with your hair cut before. I've also had the luxury of running my hands through it when it was long." The woman gushed, blushing.

"Are you saying we've-" Ulquiorra looked around before he lowered his voice. "Are you saying we've fucked?"

The crimson-haired woman's head bobbed up and down enthusiastically. "Several times. Are you sure you don't remember?"

Ulquiorra wanted to snort because this woman could be lying. She could have been one of hundreds of women to have gotten the chance to sleep with him. It didn't matter. "Uh, what's your name?"

"Emi." She smiled sweetly at him. "So how's single life treating you?"

* * *

"Alright," the deep voice said with some trepidation. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Last night," Orihime replied. "Not just last night, but especially last night."

Ichigo smiled to himself as he stretched on his bed, remembering falling asleep with the small auburn-haired woman in his arms. "Yeah?"

_Did he sound happy? _Orihime's brows knit as she tried to interpret his tone. "...Yeah. Well, first, thanks for all your help yesterday, and thank you for the spiritual pressure. I know I'd be useless today and tomorrow and probably the next day without it."

Ichigo closed his eyes and grinned. _So she feels it too… _ "Anytime, Hime. I'm always glad to save the princess."

Ah. That was it. That attitude was what was bothering Ulquiorra. Orihime frowned and took a deep breath. Why was this so hard? She had never had a hard time telling Kurosaki exactly how she felt ever since she left Karakura. What was making her feel like she had to protect his feelings now? "Well, thanks. But what you did last night was not appropriate."

She nearly choked on her words. What the fuck? What was going on with her emotions? Was this an after-effect of the reiatsu transfusion? It had to be.

"What do you mean, not appropriate? I only did what had to be done," Ichigo countered.

"I mean the falling asleep in my bed with your arms around me. Ulquiorra was pissed off, and rightly so. That's not something you do to someone else's fiancee."

Ichigo groaned. "You are really serious about that? You're thinking of marrying that guy?"

"Ich- Kurosaki, I'm not _just _thinking about it. I've already agreed."

The shinigami did not miss her near-mistake. He did not miss how she only cited Ulquiorra's objections to his behavior either. "So, you feel it too, then, don't you?"

"What?" She asked, suddenly breathless. "Feel what?"

The thing was, she knew _exactly _what he was talking about.

* * *

Emi? Where had he heard that name recently? He shook his head. "Sorry, I can't recall the name with the face."

"It's okay, I know you have a bit of a reputation as to being a player."

He wanted to open his mouth and refute her claim but found that he couldn't. He had been a fuckboy; a manwhore; a player. Ulquiorra ran his free hand through his hair. "So uh..." He had no clue what to say to her.

"It was back in December last year and then around March of this year. Other than that I've not had the _pleasure _of seeing you again."

"First half of March or the second half?" He asked, eyes narrowing at the woman. March was a significant month because that was when he had texted Orihime and wanted her to pose for him. They'd kissed and went out on their first "date" to that noodle place.

"Well, it happened twice in March. I think around the first and the twenty-fifth." Once again, she smiled at him with a sweet expression.

A woman he had sex with three times? That had to be a record or something. Ulquiorra couldn't even remember the one-offs he had, let alone this. "Yeah, still don't remember. I must have been drunk."

"You weren't drunk. You were sober. I have pictures. I can show you!"

Oh fuck. Ulquiorra shook his head to deny the request but she had already was swiping her finger across the phone's screen. This wasn't good. "Look, how about-"

"Here we are!" she cheered.

Ulquiorra saw himself laying in his bed with the woman, face buried in her neck. It only showed the side of his face but the one eye that was visible was turned towards the camera. He could see his owl and cat tattoo. The woman's hair had been a bit more orange in the photo and she was chubbier with her breasts on prominent display. Ulquiorra's hand was wrapped around one of them.

"That was the first time."

"How the fuck did you manage that without me throwing the phone?" Ulquiorra asked.

"I think this was post orgasm."

The next photo she showed him was once again in his apartment but this time they were in his studio. He was in the background. Ulquiorra was sitting at his computer desk with his head in his hands. He looked regretful while the side of the woman's face was visible with a smirk.

"You looked so sad," this Emi woman said. "I was hoping the blowjob I gave you would cheer you up."

The last photo showed the woman on his bed again but this time it showed Ulquiorra with his head thrown back, clearly in the midst of coming. The woman's black eyes were glazed like she was experiencing euphoria herself but on a smaller scale.

"Okay, what do you want? Do you want to blackmail me? What?" Ulquiorra asked. He could not shake the sense of dread.

She shook her head. "Oh no! Nothing like that I was wondering if you'd like to get a cup of coffee and talk with me. I mean, three encounters and you don't even remember me? You're an asshole."

He glared at the woman. "I am quite aware that I'm an asshole. Thanks for pointing that out though."

"C'mon, one cup of coffee won't kill you. I'm not expecting anything more but if you want..." Emi trailed off with a smirk. "I wouldn't say no to a fourth round."

"I'll pass but you know… thanks for the offer," Ulquiorra replied. He moved around the woman and walked to the counter unaware that she was right behind him.

"Are you sure? I'll even pay for the coffee."

* * *

"I don't know what you're talking about, Kurosaki-kun."

"C'mon, you have to. After last night, after… I mean, come on! It's like we're connected."

Orihime sighed. "Fine. You're right. I stink like you, Kurosaki. It's true. But that doesn't make it okay. It doesn't make what you did okay. This is going to wear off."

"How do you know?"

"Why wouldn't it? I'll produce my own spiritual pressure and yours will fade. Then this... _feeling… _will pass."

Ichigo scoffed. "Oh please. You don't know that. You're probably having doubts about your boyfriend. I mean, the dude seems like an okay guy, I'll forgive him for acting like a cocksucker, because, I mean, you've met me," he paused, hoping she'd find his self-deprecation charming.

She did. She wished she didn't, but she smiled despite herself. "Um, yeah, I have."

"So, I'm not saying this because of the whole Espada thing or because I don't like him personally, Hime. I'm saying this because I'm looking out for you. The guy is a slut. I know you know that."

"Hey, this is coming from the guy who followed him around while we were broken up and took pictures. He told me he didn't sleep with that woman, by the way."

Ichigo was stunned. She knew about that? "...Uh, yeah… Sorry. I just wanted to show you that you can't trust him. How do you know he didn't sleep with that woman?"

"He told me."

"And you believed that bullshit? C'mon, Hime," Ichigo whined, dragging a palm down his face. "Don't be so naive! I mean, once a cheater always a cheater. Yui tells me all the time that she sees him chatting up chicks that resemble you… She's a little obsessed with him…"

"I've gathered. Doesn't that bother you?"

"Nah, we're not like that. We're just mutually lonely."

* * *

Yui smiled as she got several good shots of Murcielago and Emi together. She watched as they both left the shop at the same time and took one last photo. Several moments later, she joined Emi outside. "I take it he said no?"

"Oh, he basically said hell no." Emi shook her head. "What is he doing in Shibuya? Isn't his place in Koenji?"

"It figures. Did you hear that his apartment got blown up and his neighbor jumped off the building where he lived?" Yui remarked. The black-haired woman frowned. "Inoue lives close by here."

"How did you not manage to bag him? Before that redheaded bitch came into his life, he was desperate for sex. I mean it was good but he's selfish." Emi folded her arms over her chest and pouted. "He's still single right?"

Yui's head denied that claim. "He got back with Inoue like last week. Her Instagram shows them in Russia together. I'm going to send these pics to Ichigo."

"Ugh, that guy. What do you see in him? He's obsessed with Murcielago's girlfriend and you're obsessed with him!"

"Cifer and I shared a special-"

"Don't give me that horse shit. What kind of stuff did you talk about when Inoue was out of the picture and you two were constantly modeling together?"

Yui knew this was going to be bad.

* * *

"I'm sorry that you're lonely, Kurosaki-kun, but I'm not interested in you that way anymore. That ship has sailed. I love Ulquiorra, and no amount of spiritual pressure hangover is going to change that."

Ichigo sighed. He'd been doing it a lot. "I know, Hime. I'm not upset with you about it or anything, it's just, I don't want you getting hurt. You're turning a blind eye to the facts."

"And what facts are those?" Orihime asked, slightly offended.

"Hold on," Ichigo said, forwarding a message he just received from Yui. "Check your text messages."

She did. "That bitch…"

"You're going to blame that poor woman? It's just some girl he fucked on and off for the past _year. _Yui is friends with her. They talk about him all the time."

"How dare you, Kurosaki. Do you know who that woman is?"

Shit. He didn't. "No?"

Orihime scoffed. "That's that bitch who wrote that article about me, dragging me through the mud! You say you want to protect me and yet you're friends with Yui and this backstabbing whore?"

"Hey hey hey, I never said I was friends with the 'whore', as you so kindly put it. And yes, I'm friends with Yui. But you have to understand-"

"Oh, I think I understand perfectly. You two are conspiring to break me and Ulquiorra up! It's not going to work, you know."

"Orihime!" Ichigo shouted. "Listen to yourself! You're in complete denial! I just told you this Emi chick has been sleeping with him on and off FOR THE PAST YEAR. You have been with Cifer for THE PAST YEAR. Don't you see something wrong with this?"

Orihime scoffed again. "So she says. Where's the proof?"

"On my phone."

Silence.

* * *

The artist left the store and walked back to his new home. He liked being independent and not having to rely on others for anything. He was sure that if he needed to, Hirano could find him a place in no time flat. He wanted to stay with Orihime though. She still had time on her lease. The encounter with that woman left him unsettled as he waited in the chilled air outside of the building for Hirano to show up.

When the woman came walking towards him, Ulquiorra tipped his head back at her. "What?" he asked.

"You're going to be living with her now? What does this woman have that is so special? And can we go inside? I'm freezing," Hirano replied.

"If this place blows up, I'm dropping your ass," Ulquiorra said. "Cmon." The two walked into the building and soon arrived at the apartment.

"Oh this is nice. I bet your accountant is throwing a fit," Hirano said as they went inside.

"I don't know how much my bills will be here. There's Orihime and her friend that live here too, so I imagine splitting them will be less strain on all of us." Ulquiorra said, slipping out of his shoes. "Orihime, I'm back and I've got the lesbian with me! OW!"

Hirano had hit him with her bag. "I'm not a lesbian! I have a kid at home!"

Ulquiorra glared at the PR Bitch. "Lesbians can have kids."

"Lesbians do not have husbands, dickhole!"

"I'm glad we got that cleared up."

* * *

Orihime felt like she was going to puke. The pictures were obscene. That bitch. That fucking tramp. "When were these taken?" she asked in a monotone voice.

"Hell if I know. You could probably check on a computer but like I said, she said it was from the past year," Ichigo said as though he was telling her very important, pertinent information.

"Well a year is a long time, Ichigo. Did you notice Ulquiorra's hair is long in all these pictures? We didn't really get together until right before he cut it. So whatever this whore is selling, I'm not buying it. And what are you trying to pull, showing this to me?"

She heard Ulquiorra announce his arrival and hushed her voice. "I'm not going to break up with him and then run into your arms no matter what. Even if we did break up, that's not going to happen!"

"Why not?" Ichigo was beginning to get upset. "What, am I not good enough for you? Not enough tattoos? I could get tattoos, Orihime. You want me to get your name written across my chest? Is that what you want?!"

"No!" she whisper-shouted. "I told you, I don't want you! I'm in love with Ulquiorra and no amount of power-sharing is going to change that," she hissed in hushed tones.

"He's there, isn't he?" Ichigo asked, more subdued.

"Yes."

"Ok, whatever, I'm just going to say it. Orihime, you were in love with me once, you could be again. One day you're going to wake up and realize you've made a terrible mistake."

"No-"

"Listen," he interrupted. "You don't get to just ignore me and my feelings."

"That's the pot calling the kettle black," she retorted.

He was silent. "I'm sorry. I was an idiot. I love you, Orihime."

"No!" she shouted. "You don't get to say that to me!" This was very distressing. His reiatsu in her body was making her feel conflicted. She recognized this, but it didn't make it feel less real in the moment. Tears began to fall down her cheeks as she was flooded with guilt and remorse.

"I do. You should be with me, not that philandering freakshow. I would always protect you. I swore to always protect you, Hime."

"Stop! Stop it, Kurosaki-kun. You can't… He does protect me! He always has. You didn't! You can't say this now!" She was starting to panic. Why was she feeling this way? It wasn't right. "I'm hanging up. You can't touch me anymore. That's the way it has to be."

"Fine. I won't. I promise. But… Orihime, this isn't just going to go away."

"Goodbye, Kurosaki-kun," she said and cut the line, then took a deep breath and choked on a sob.

Ulquiorra had left Hirano sitting at the table and he was standing on the other side of the closed bedroom door. He knew she was talking to Kurosaki and that Orihime was now crying because of that man. He heard what she said to him. He tapped on the door once before he opened it. "Woman?" he said before he slipped inside. "What's wrong?"

She was sniffling and shaking and didn't want to show Ulquiorra her face. She was ashamed of how she was reacting to Ichigo's words. Ulquiorra didn't deserve to be subjected to this level of bullshit. She buried her head in her pillow and talked in a muffled voice, "It's done. I'll be alright." She didn't sound alright, though.

He frowned. Was she this upset because he told her that he didn't want her being friends with that douche? "Orihime, if it upsets you that much, you can be friends with him. I just wish that there were boundaries in place and Kurosaki would stick to them"

She could see that there was no way to avoid a misunderstanding unless she was totally honest. She sat up, rubbed her eyes and wiped her nose, then looked at him. "No, I'm not upset about that." she took a deep breath. "Can you feel it? He's all over me. It's fucking with my head. It's making me feel sorry for him when I shouldn't."

"I felt it last night. It's all wrong. I was going to suggest we do that thing we did before, you know… Meshing our stuff together to see if it would cancel out Kurosaki's. I got your juice and Hirano's here… I don't know if you've met her yet." Ulquiorra sat down on the bed beside her.

"Thank you. I'll be out in a minute. Oh! One more thing. Yui is a bitch and Emi Takahashi is a whore of epic proportions. That Ich -Kurosaki would think for a minute that I could trust him when he associates with those two is proof that he is clueless," she started to cry again as soon as she said his name. "Shit! When do you think this is going to wear off?" she whined, pointing at her eyes.

He was confused. What did Yui and that reporter have to do with anything? "I'm not following your line of thinking. I imagine it'll wear off once we-I mean if you want to do that," Ulquiorra replied.

"As soon as you've recovered more of your spiritual pressure, yes _please. _ In the meantime I'll just have to deal with it and try not to think about him. This is truly annoying. Anyway about those ... _women, _" she opened her phone to the text from Ichigo and showed Ulquiorra the pictures of him and Emi in bed together. "This is the bitch who followed me to Thailand for that interview. Can you believe she'd been sleeping with you and then tried to milk me for more information? For what? To further her career? To get back into your pants? Bitch! I'm deleting this - I never want to see it again - but maybe I should give Hirano a copy just in case… What do you think?"

Ulquiorra's stomach dropped. He started at the contact name, the pictures and then his gaze fell back to Orihime's face. "I ran into her at the store. She talked to me. I just saw those pics. I didn't recognize her." He swallowed, feeling sick. "I didn't know it was her. She just said her name was Emi. I've slept with a lot of women and I made it clear that nothing like that was supposed to happen. No pictures-no media. She said that we fucked three separate times."

Anxiety welled in his chest. "If Hirano sees these, she's gonna kill me."

"See what, Cifer?" Ulquiorra turned his head to see the other woman standing in the doorway. Hirano had her arms folded over her chest. "I came to make sure you two weren't fucking. I don't have all day so let's talk. Hello Inoue, I'm Hirano, otherwise known as the PR Bitch."

Orihime dipped her head. "It's nice to meet you, Hirano. These are pictures from that whore of a reporter, Emi Takahashi. Apparently she has a little crush on my fiance." Orihime was seething. She didn't even think about what she was saying. She was too wound up after the Titus thing and the Ichigo thing and now the Emi thing.

Hirano ignored the nasty look that Cifer was giving her and walked over to where Orihime sat and took the phone. She had a bored look on her face. "Cifer, when did you get your hair cut short the first time?"

"I dunno; April?" He looked at Orihime. He knew it had happened in the spring. "Was it April?"

She blushed. "Yeah…" The day he got it cut was also the day they first slept together.

"You're saying you slept with a reporter three separate times and didn't even notice it was the same woman?" Hirano asked, handing the phone back to the redhead. "She's not even cute, Cifer!"

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "I had sex with her twice, one time it was a blowjob. She wasn't very good at it. I didn't call you over here to talk about my past conquest! I have a proposition for you."

"And that would be?"

"I know you're my public relations person but if I paid you more, would you become my personal assistant?"

The Japanese woman let out a long, hearty laugh and when she was done, she was wiping her eyes. "Oh man, that's hilarious. Why the fuck would you want me all up in your personal shit?"

"Never mind, forget I asked," Ulquiorra griped with a deep frown on his face.

"I'm just wondering. Inoue, how do you deal with him? Is he this bratty all the time?" Hirano asked.

Orihime smirked, raising and dropping her shoulders.

"Oh, for fucks sakes. For once can you take me seriously?"

"I am, Ulq." Hirano replied. "I'll do it. I mean I was a personal assistant before I decided to stick my hand into the fire that is your public image. You called me all the way here to ask me that?"

"No, there's a couple of other things I need you to do. Uh, I need business class tickets to Mongolia; round trip. Oh, two of them. Find me a good hotel there."

"I can get you the number for Pauletto's people to help you coordinate, also do you need these nasty pictures or can I delete them?" Orihime chimed in.

Hirano considered the woman for a moment then shook her head. "His hair is long in these photos, that's like ancient news. He's not had long hair as a model at all. People may not recognize him if Takahashi releases them. So delete away. Also very good on the numbers, I'll need those and the dates you two want to leave."

"Okay, next order of business. I need you to call your IT guys and have the scour the internet for any trace of TitusSaurus or Theobald Crofton. I need anything that would look like a video destroyed. Actually anything concerning him I need destroyed."

"Erase the crazy person from history. Okay. Did you really see him jump? The police are all kinds of confused. They think you might be dead. You should really-"

"I'll talk to them after I come back from Mongolia. As of right now, I have an alibi that I'm in Russia." Ulquiorra stated. "I need my apartment cleaned out, packed up. Find some storage for my stuff because when Orihime has graduated, we will be finding a place together."

"When did you guys decide to get married?"

Orihime looked at Ulquiorra with wide eyes and a face that said, _"I'm not telling her… _"

The PR woman's eyes darted back and forth between the couple. "Are you already married?"

"No! We're engaged still. Like, I asked her a couple weeks ago? I'm not sure. It's been a clusterfuck." Ulquiorra glared at Hirano. "Oh! I need you to set up an interview because I want to uh, prove Takahashi wrong. I'm going to announce Orihime's and my engagement then."

"Wait, are you saying you want to give people a glimpse into your life?" Hirano asked, momentarily dumbstruck. "Holy shit. Do you know how many-People will be chomping at the bit to talk to you."

"I know. I think that's everything that I wanted to talk to you about."

"Did you find anything in that guy's apartment?"

Ulquiorra sighed. "Nothing of interest," he answered.

* * *

As soon as Hirano was gone, Ulquiorra sat down heavily onto the bed. Everything from the past month felt like it was going to come crashing down on his head and overwhelm him.

"You look exhausted," Orihime said, maneuvering herself behind him. "Come on, lean back," she said, patting her legs and encouraging him to put his head on her folded lap.

Ulquiorra did as she said and looked up at her before closing his eyes. "I am exhausted. Too much has happened in a short amount of time."

"I know. Just close your eyes. I don't have enough "SP" to give you the good stuff, but I can help you the old-fashioned way," she laughed at the _sp _thing, and the began to knead his shoulders with her thumb and fingertips.

He let out a groan as she gave him a massage. It felt good. While she rubbed his tense muscles, Ulquiorra turned his head so that his neck would crack. It was instant relief. "So explain this connection you have with Kurosaki... He gives you reiatsu and all of a sudden you have feelings for him? I'm not accusing you, just trying to understand."

She sighed. "I don't exactly understand the mechanics… It's just like, he's left part of his soul in me. But it feels temporary; like a fog or a shadow. Like it will dissipate over time. Anyway, it makes me feel like...like I can feel his feelings. It makes it harder to ignore him."

Ulquiorra opened his eyes and stared at her. "Hacchi said our spiritual pressure meshed together. That you were me and I was you, something like that. I could try to do the same thing as Kurosaki did. I just… I can't give you that much. Just tiny boosts. I don't even know how he does it."

She smiled down at him and then looked across the room at nothing. "Well, I think I told you before, but my power was awoken through his. Urahara suggested it was a combination of my desire to be useful to him and the hogyoku, plus just proximity to him. So although our spiritual pressure is totally different, his is like… like my power's father?" she shook her head. It was a weird image. "Anyway, the way he does it is the same way I do. I'll give you a little through my fingertips now; tell me if you feel a difference." She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, relaxing and expanding her spiritual pressure, visualizing it spiraling through her fingertips and attaching to him like tiny vines growing into and around his veins.

That warmth was back. He nodded. "Every time you do that I feel warm. It's like affection. Love."

She smiled widely enough to crease the corners of her eyes. "Bingo. It is. If I didn't love you it would feel different. Anyway, I relax and visualize my spiritual pressure flowing into you, and then it just does. Kurosaki does the same thing. He has a staggering amount of spiritual pressure though, as you know. He actually has a limiter placed on him by decree of soul society, because it's so high it can easily become unstable and dangerous. Anyway, because he has so much he can share it easily. Also because our spiritual pressure is 'related', it's compatible and can be easily shared. I think yours and mine are easily shared, too."

Ulquiorra reached up with a hand and cupped her face. He saw that emerald green light wrap around his hand but there was none of the crackling sensation he usually felt. It almost was like a pool of water; calm and inviting. He let it trail down her neck and down her arm. He watched as it sank into her skin. "Like that?" he asked.

It was like time stopped. Like seeing colors for the first time. Like hearing music for the first time. Like feeling this kiss of a lover after an excruciatingly long absence. Tears flowed down her cheeks silently and she shivered and nodded. "Yes," she whispered. She had never felt anything like it before. She stopped rubbing his shoulders and carefully removed his head from her lap, lying beside him and wrapping one leg over his, and burying her head into his chest.

Ulquiorra wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Did I hurt you? I'm sorry. I won't do it ever again." He did not like seeing her cry. It made weird things happen in his chest.

"No! It was… It was like… Magic. I don't have words to describe… I could taste, hear, smell, feel, see your soul. I have never experienced anything like it. It was beautiful."

"Oh," Ulquiorra said. He wrapped his arms around her. "I don't know how many times I can do that or even if I should do that. I don't want to transfer the Hollow part of me to you."

"I don't think you could without trying," she assured him. "Besides, I think my shield would reject it unless I wanted to accept it. Also… I can't be sure but I think the hollow part of your soul is impure, reborn plus spirit that resembles hollow but isn't."

Ulquiorra didn't understand what she was saying. He didn't understand the terminology, so he just said, "I do not want to share that part of me with you. I don't ever want to be a Hollow again. I hope we never need Kurosaki to do that again."

She smoothed out his brows with her thumb and said, "Me too. Kurosaki has an actual hollow within his soul, not just the shadow of one," she reminded him.

He huffed at the mention of that. Stupid hollowfied human; that very creature had killed him. Ulquiorra sighed. "You think I can forget that thing? I can't. The nightmares I used to have about that Vasto Lorde… Sometimes I didn't want to sleep."

"Don't worry, I'll protect you from your nightmares," she said with a smile, bopping him on the nose with her fingertip. "I want you to try that again as soon as you're up to it, by the way. I wonder if it feels the same every time."

This time instead of just his hand being covered in the energy, Ulquiorra decided to try and replicate the beam he'd thrown at Ishida but not in anger. Instead he watched as his spiritual pressure covered one side of her body and then disappeared. It didn't feel taxing at all either. As soon as it left him it was like it never had left him.

"Whoa. That was a lot. Are you ok?"

He nodded. "I'm fine. I feel okay. I should wait until I know my limits to transfer that much, huh?"

"Really? No fatigue? No drowsiness? Ulquiorra… that was incredible."

"I feel fine. A bit tired, but I'm sure that's from the fact that I've not slept well since this entire thing started."

"Kurosaki has nothing on you," she murmured, wiggling her body up his and kissing him on the lips. "Never has, never will. If you can give me that much in such a little time… and not feel tired… Maybe instead of consuming each other's spiritual energy, we like, um… replicate it? Create more by combining? Does that make any sense?"

He shrugged. "Kind of? I don't understand this spiritual energy stuff. It's different as a hollow. The energy is different, darker." Ulquiorra paused for a moment. "Does this stuff get passed down to children?"

"Yes, as far as I can tell, but not always. Kurosaki has two sisters, and only one inherited. His father is a shinigami. His mother was infected by a hollow."

Kurosaki's mother was infected by a hollow? His father is a shinigami? Two out of three children had some kind of spiritual ability? He wasn't comfortable with those odds. "I see," he said finally.

"Does that bother you?" She was worried about his expression; he appeared troubled.

"The idea of a child being spiritually aware disturbs me. What if they see a hollow? That could be psychologically traumatizing."

She smiled at him. "Maybe. It seems, though, that Kurosaki only started seeing spirits when he was an elementary school student, and Karin was nearly in high school when here abilities emerged. It seems like it's not something that presents in very young children, Kurosaki excepting. My powers came just months before we met. Sado's too, Tatsuki too. The only one I know of who was born aware was Quin, but Quincies are different."

"I know that Hollows are poison to Quincies." Ulquiorra kissed her for a moment. "How long will you be gone after Mongolia?"

"After I come back it'll only be couple days in Nikko, so I could come home at night if the shoots don't go too late. It might be kind of inconvenient though. You could come up, it's a pretty area and it's not far from here."

"Maybe," he said and rolled onto his side, towards her. "Are you okay? I mean on the outside you seem like you've handled this well but, I'm not sure what's going on in your head, minus the Kurosaki thing."

She nodded. "It's going to take some time for me to process all of it. And I know what you said Titus had in his place, but I didn't have to see it, and for that I am grateful. It would have been worse if I did, I think. As far as the fight, I am actually kind of... Proud. We beat the bad guy! It's not my first fight, you know. It may not be the last. As long as I'm the way I am, it's a possibility. On the other hand, I know we can protect each other, so I'm not overly worried."

She looked at his face and smiled. "I'm glad you're here. I mean, not today; not _just _today. I'm glad we live together now."

He smiled. "Kurosaki beat the bad guy. We had nothing to do with that as he'll tell it."

"He would tell it that way. What a turd."

"Oh well, he can be delusional and take credit for it. I don't care," Ulquiorra said. "He seems to be compensating for something."

She laughed. "Well, you certainly don't have anything to compensate for," she said, running her hand from his thigh, over his crotch, and up his torso to stop on his chest, all while looking at him like she hadn't done anything.

Well, he certainly wasn't expecting that out of her. That was a lie because he was thinking about seducing her but for her to act on her own… It was a pleasant surprise. "Is there something you want, Woman?" He asked raising an eyebrow at her.

"Me? Hmm," she said, tapping her lower lip with her finger and appearing deep in thought. "You bought me some orange juice, right? I would love some of that." She was evil. Pure evil, she thought, as she tried her hardest not to smirk.

Two could play at this game. "I would love some too," he said. Ulquiorra let his hand travel down to her thigh and then did the same thing she did to him. He trailed his fingers between her legs, slightly pressing against the cloth covered skin and then over her stomach. When his hands reached her tits, he squeezed a nipple before rolling away from her. "I'm thirsty."

"Oh fine, I'll go get it," she said with a bit of a put-upon tone, although her eyes smiled as she rolled off the bed.

"What would I ever do without you?" he smirked. Holding up a hand he beckoned to Orihime with a finger. "Come here, Woman."

She paused and looked over her shoulder at him. "I'll come alright," she smirked, "after I wet my whistle." She turned back toward the door and left for the kitchen.

_That sassy little witch _, Ulquiorra thought. He narrowed his eyes for a second before he was off the bed and out of the bedroom. He caught her by the waist before she even reached the kitchen. His hands ghosted over her curves. "I could make you come right here," he said gesturing at the room they were in. "I could fuck you on the table; the couch… Oooh, the kitchen counter sounds good too."

She whimpered. When push came to shove she had no will to resist him. She reached behind her and stroked his cock through his sweatpants, biting her lower lip and arching her body into his hands. "You could, if you wanted to."

He moaned at the contact. She knew how to push his buttons. It didn't take long before he was completely hard. It was in the back of his mind that he should tease her more and walk away but Ulquiorra didn't really want to do that. "You said Quin was gone for the day?" he asked before he buried his face into her neck.

"Mmhmm," she answered, letting go of the front of his pants and replacing her hand with her ass.

Oh they were going to do this again? Ulquiorra took her cues and grabbed her by the hips. He did not want some dry humping session which he knew would end with him needing new clothing after it was all done. "Go get your juice," he whispered into her ear before letting her go.

"Alright. Do you want some?" she asked sweetly.

"Of course I want _some _." He was referring to her and not the stuff he had purchased.

She bit her lip. "Okay, I'll be right back," she said, bouncing into the kitchen. When she got there, she pulled off her pants and underwear and hopped up onto the countertop, then called to him, "Um, I have it ready for you." She waited until he came into view and then put two fingers inside of herself and pulled out some wetness for him to see. "Here's my juice," she whispered.

Ulquiorra's mouth dropped open at the sight of her. Instantly, he felt desire and lust for the woman. It didn't take him but a couple of steps before he was in front of her and taking those two wet fingers into his mouth, letting his tongue suck that slickness from them. "I like your juice," he replied once he released her hand. He didn't waste any time, bending over and kissing the tattoo on her hip. Ulquiorra didn't give her any warning before his mouth was attached to her nether lips.

She squealed as he made contact. She expected a fun reaction from him but this was quite the pleasant surprise. "Ulquiorra,"she cooed, the hand he had licked clean tangling into his hair. "After you're done down there, I want you to fuck me."

His eyes met hers with a flash of hunger. If she wanted to be fucked then she was going to get her wish. He nodded slightly while still lapping at her clit. Ulquiorra wasn't going to question her demands although he found it odd. He brought his hand up and slid two fingers inside of her, knowing what to do to bring her to what would _hopefully _be the first of many climaxes today.

She moaned as he worked her to completion, and it was only a matter of a couple minutes before she was a moaning, whimpering mess, her core fluttering around his fingers and her pussy lips swollen and soaked.

Ulquiorra stood up and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, before quickly shedding his shirt and then sweats to the floor of the kitchen. He grabbed Orihime, hooking her legs around his waist before he picked her up and took her to the table where Quin did things like homework and eating. The green-eyed man sat her on the edge then pushed her back onto the surface before he shoved his cock inside of her.

A long, throaty "ah" filled the room as Ulquiorra filled Orihime quickly. She was tighter than usual after her own climax; the tissues in her passage engorged and sensitive. "Oh god, Ulquiorra. Fuck me, please!"

Those words made something inside of him break, making him feel out of control. He swallowed before snapping his hips against her. "You want to get fucked? Hard and fast? You want to feel my cock slide inside you?"

"Yes, I want it. I want it so bad," she begged, choking on her words with each thrust. "Fuck me numb."

His strokes were fast, with his body slamming into hers over and over. She had been teasing him since he had woken up that morning, so he was somewhat grateful that she wanted a demanding pace from him. The way she sounded and the way she felt kept him running closer and closer to that edge of pleasure. "Fuck, Orihime. You feel so good."

Just as he said it she arched her back and keened, her toes curling as she came on him, _hard. _She was making obscene, soprano vocalizations that had no meaning in and of themselves but which communicated with great clarity that she was coming and damn, did it feel good.

He had to grit his teeth as she clamped down on him and her body started milk his dick. Fuck. He was going to cum way too soon. Ulquiorra growled when his body couldn't take anymore and he felt pulses of his own orgasm go through him. His breath came in gasps as he slumped against her chest.

"Well done, my love," she said after she caught her own breath, patting his head. "I think you deserve some of that orange juice now."

He huffed. "I'll move as soon as my legs began to work. What the hell was that? I'm not complaining. You just surprised me."

"I'm not really sure…" she said, also surprised. "I mean, I wanted to do it, but it didn't really feel li-" she stopped herself from saying "_ it didn't really feel like me" _.

Automatically, Ulquiorra pulled away from her and went to find his clothes. He had known something was off. Orihime wasn't normally aggressive. There were times that yes, she would take away his phone or turn his computer chair and climb on top of him but this had been a different level and type of aggressiveness. "Fucking Kurosaki," he muttered, pulling on his sweatpants.

She was humiliated. She had laid there in shock, exposed like a dressed chicken on the table, as she watched he stomp around. As soon as he was bent over to get his sweats her wits returned to her and she ran to the bathroom, locking herself in.

Once he was dressed and decent, Ulquiorra turned around. He had heard the bathroom door shut. Orihime probably thought he was a jerk. He walked over to the door and knocked. "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

She cleared her throat. "No, it was the opposite of hurting," she said, trying to sound good-natured.

Orihime didn't sound like herself to Ulquiorra's ears. He had to trust her though.

Orihime looked at herself in the mirror. She had heard what Ulquiorra said; what he thought. He must be disgusted with her right now. She stared at her eyes, half-expecting to see her sclera start to turn black. Of course, nothing happened. She turned on the shower to clean herself off; to rid her body of any evidence that Ulquiorra might use to support his theory.

She was disgusting.

She spent a good twenty minutes in the shower, making sure to scrub every inch of her skin, hoping to wash away the smell of Kurosaki from her body and soul. When she was done, she wrapped herself in a towel, and threw another one over her head, just letting it drape over her shoulders for modesty. She cracked open the bathroom door and peeked around. Ulquiorra was nowhere to be seen. She sighed and walked dejectedly to the bedroom.

He was laying on their bed, staring at the ceiling. Today was simply a clusterfuck. He wished he could press rewind and stop until this entire week could be started over. Ulquiorra really didn't even know what day it was. All he knew was that trouble started on Wednesday. He heard the door open and lifted his head. "Hey," he said to the redhead.

"Hi," she half-whispered, grabbing some underwear from her drawer and stopping at her closet for a long-sleeved t-shirt and some jeans, before leaving for the bathroom again.

Ulquiorra was tempted to follow her. He wanted to follow her but she probably needed her space to deal with how much of an insensitive bastard he was being about this. He just didn't get how Kurosaki could influence her that much. It wasn't normal and he was certain that the shinigami had done it on purpose. With a sigh, the artist sat up and followed Orihime out of the room. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No," she muttered as she walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

"Why can't you talk to me about this?" Ulquiorra asked

"I can talk, I'd just rather do it clothed," she said through the door.

"I've seen you naked hundreds of times," he replied. "Clothed, unclothed. What happened? What did I do?"

"I'm disgusting to you right now. I'd just as well not subject you to it further."

"You are not disgusting to me, Orihime. The fact that Kurosaki thinks he can manipulate you with his reiatsu pisses me off!" Ulquiorra explained.

She opened the door and came out of the bathroom dressed. "You think he actually has that much power over me? That's a stretch. Maybe a bit of his personality rubbed off with the transfusion but there is absolutely no way he has any ability to manipulate me." She leaned against the table they had just had sex on and tipped her head forward towel her hair. "That was me before… me on steroids, anyway," she muttered.

Ulquiorra folded his arms across his chest. "That wasn't you. That was that-that-that-bastard! You would never do anything like that. At least the Orihime I've subjected myself to over the past months would not do that."

"Are you saying you didn't like it? Because it sure seemed like you did."

He scoffed and looked away from her for a moment. "I liked it. I liked it a little too much I think but then I realized something was off. But I still enjoyed myself."

"Oh, thanks a lot." She mimicked his mannerisms as she continued, "Oh yeah, babe, I mean, the sex was great. _Nothing _like you, and I especially liked it, but I know you're not capable of anything like that," she leveled a glare at him. "Thanks a lot."

This wasn't his doing, so why was she getting mad at him? "You enjoyed yourself too, so don't throw that shit back on me." Ulquiorra walked past her into the bedroom. He found a pair of boxers and a pair of jeans. He put them on, chucking the sweatpants into a basket that sat in the corner of the room. How had everything gone from happy go lucky to stormy skies? Why did he seem to get his relationship with Orihime right for it to implode moments later? Maybe the universe was trying to tell him something.

He was going to leave for a couple of hours. Ulquiorra stood there for a moment and realized he had nowhere else to go. His loft had been destroyed. He didn't have any other friends. He was stuck there.

Maybe Orihime had that reaction because Kurosaki's spiritual energy was trying to fight for dominance in her system. Maybe it caused her to act the way she did. With a sigh, he left the room.

She couldn't believe him. She left a note saying she was taking a walk around the block. She grabbed a jacket and left. Maybe the walk would help.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41: Orange Juice**

He left the apartment, taking his phone and wallet. He decided when he was done, he'd text Orihime or Quin to let him inside the apartment. He found himself in Shinjuku, at one of his favorite places. The shop's sign advertised that they were open for business and Ulquiorra walked into Candy Ink. The cotton candy pink and blue walls screamed at his senses and the multicolored chairs clashed with the pastel rainbow tiled floor. It made his eyes hurt just looking at it.

"Ah, Murcielago! How ya doing man?" a short woman with a bright blue mohawk said to him as he walked up to the front counter. "I take it your show was successful?"

Ulquiorra merely smiled. "Hello Kami. Is Eito in?"

"Eh, I think he's free, want me to call him down here?"

"Please," the green-eyed man replied.

It didn't take long for him to see his favorite tattoo artist, and about four hours later he left the tattoo shop with new ink on his chest. He had sketched out his helmet onto paper and told the bald man to do what he liked with it. Ulquiorra was impressed to see that one-sided horned mask was done in black, grays and highlighted with a touch of white.

Eito said to him, "Ain't gonna matter much, you're about as bright as a lightbulb."

Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes at the man but said nothing. He knew he was pale. He didn't tan and he didn't burn. He had tried to get a "bit of color" into his skin and nothing worked. Markus had suggested a spray tan but there was no way he was going to walk out of a place looking like a cheese curl.

His phone hadn't beeped or chimed the entire time he was gone, so he texted Orihime.

_\- You at home?_

He didn't really expect a reply. She seemed pretty pissed off with him before she left.

* * *

Orihime came back to a locked apartment. She knocked. No answer. She hadn't expected Ulquiorra to leave so she didn't have her purse, keys, or phone. Shit. She was locked out. She stretched spiritual awareness out. Quin was at school still. Ulquiorra was gone.

Shit.

She sighed. There was nothing to do but wait. She was tired of walking. She slid down the hallway wall and leaned back against it. She waited.

She fell asleep.

She woke up an hour later. Her circumstances had not changed, except that she was now very stiff and uncomfortable. What if he had left her? What if he had been so disgusted that he just left? What a dick!

Or maybe nobody cared. Or maybe Quin got held up. Whatever. She was irritated. She was moody. Kurosaki's spiritual pressure was definitely wearing off, she could feel it. It left her feeling unstable and just… lost. She began to feel sorry for herself. She must look pretty pitiful.

One of the elderly ladies who lived in the apartment building came waddling by and asked her if her uppity husband had thrown her out, which she denied. The woman assured her that lovers' spats were normal after being married a few years. Orihime smiled and nodded, and the old lady promised her that her husband would surely come around and left.

Orihime started to cry. She just wanted her damn orange juice.

He had texted Quin and told the man he didn't have a key. Ishida told him to stop by the college and pick up his set, so Ulquiorra had done that. He was startled to see Orihime sitting in the hallway. She was on the floor, crying. "That explains why you didn't text me," he said as he sank down to the floor beside her.

"I didn't take a key—" she paused to suck in a hysterical breath. "—or my phone." Sob. "I wasn't going—" sputter, sputter "to be gone long." She whined. "I really want my orange juice," she buried her head in her hands and lost it.

He was a jerk. With a sigh, Ulquiorra stood and pulled Orihime up before he unlocked the door. He needed to make sure she was okay before he took the keys back to the Quincy. "I'm sorry, I just thought-I just thought that you hated me because of the thing earlier."

She said something in response but it was completely unintelligible. She was way too upset. It was almost like she was intoxicated. Her voice was squeaky and high pitched, whining her words over breaths that came too quickly. She recognized that she was not acting like herself but was powerless to stop it. If she didn't know any better, she would think she was suffering from really bad PMS. Or maybe she was just pregnant. Neither was a possibility though, she thought.

Maybe Kurosaki had PMS?

"You look sick. You look like you're going through withdrawls," Ulquiorra said as he steered her to her room. He made her sit down on the bed and then thought back to what she said earlier. He visualized his reiatsu which materialized around his hand and he touched her forehead, letting those brilliant green ribbons drift over her skin and watched them sink in… He wasn't sure what happened to them, he knew that they were gone. "Orihime?"

Her breathing had slowed and she only sniffled now. "Yes?" She said in a softer, calmer voice.

"Do you think that my spiritual pressure might clash with Kurosaki's? That it could be the reason for the way you acted before?"

"No. I mean, it does clash with his, but that's not why. I acted like that because I felt rejected, and I overreacted because that's what he would do. I noticed in the hallway before you came that it was starting to wear off, Kurosaki's reiatsu, I mean. Then I fell asleep and when I woke up an hour later I was a mess."

"I meant before we had sex and during it. Maybe my SP triggered something inside of you? I don't know, I'm just trying to rationalize all of this."

"No!" she responded sharply, disappointed in him. "That was me. That was me trying to be adventurous. That was me with maybe a little Kurosaki swagger in my blood. It wasn't some crazy… maybe it's like how I would be if I was on something. Different, but still me."

So his theory was completely wrong. Ulquiorra took a moment to think on his. "I don't get why you would suggest I would ever think you are disgusting. Maybe I read the situation wrong? I mean I like it when you're demanding like that but you said it didn't feel like and I took that as you meant you felt more Kurosaki than me or yourself."

Orihime looked horrified. "No! Ew ew ew! Yuck! Noooooooo!" She actually had a bit of a gag reflex after that, and had to cover her mouth as she tried to will herself not to vomit. She fanned herself with her hands after that for a moment until she had herself recomposed and finally responded.

"I thought you were disgusted because after you came you looked at me and then got the hell off like I was an infectious disease, then got dressed and ran to the bedroom, just leaving me on the table like leftover dinner. I said I didn't feel like myself because I was acting out of character. Yes, it probably had something to do with Kurosaki's reiatsu. But mostly it was just the thrill of being alive and having the whole Titus thing behind us. Just twenty-four hours ago we were in a fight for our lives. You asked how I was holding up - this is how I was doing it. I have all this nervous energy right under my skin. It manifested by me becoming kind of a slut for you in the kitchen. I think orange juice might calm it down. Damn I want that orange juice," she said, going to the kitchen and grabbing it from the fridge and drinking it before she even shut the appliance.

Yep, Ulquiorra was an asshole and had assumed all the wrong things once again. He walked out to the kitchen and looked at her. "Sorry," he said. "I just got the image of Kurosaki and-You still have his scent but it's not as strong. When I was in bed last night, it was... All I could smell was him. It didn't help that he laid in my spot."

She stopped guzzling as he stopped speaking and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, panted a few times, then responded, "I believe it. We should wash the sheets."

"I'm an idiot. I assumed things again," Ulquiorra said. He walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "If you wanted the juice that much why didn't you just drink it before seducing me?"

"And let the inspiration go to waste? No way! Besides, I doubt I'll ever have the nerve to try anything like that again, so…"

"Oh come on, I still need to screw you on the couch," Ulquiorra said. He was joking but soon his expression turned serious. "I'm sorry, Orihime. I overreacted. I don't know how clear I have to be, but I do not like Kurosaki… at all."

"Okay, okay, so we won't invite him to the wedding. It's no big deal. He ignored me for years; until right before you came into the picture, as a matter of fact. I'm sure with enough encouragement he can just return to his old ways," she said, looking into the bottle of orange juice and squinting to see if there was anything left.

He raised an eyebrow. It was curious how time changed things. When she was trapped in Los Noches, all Orihime did was talk about her friends and how she would never let them go. Now she was willing to give one up for _him_, a former fucking dumbass Espada? "There should be another bottle of orange juice in there if you want it. I bought it for me, but I'm not in the mood for it."

Her head popped up and she flashed a blinding grin in his direction. "For real? Nice!" she cheered, spinning toward the fridge and grabbing Ulquiorra's bottle. She took a long pull on it and then gave a long, satisfied sigh. "There. Now I'm better, I think. There's a little left, I'll save it for you for later."

A small smile graced his face. "If it makes you that happy, you can have all of it," he replied. "You're probably wondering where I ran off to, aren't you?"

"Now that you mention it and I have a belly full of O.J., yes. Where the hell did you go?"

"Promise me you won't freak out."

"No promises… what did you do?" she asked suspiciously.

Ulquiorra stripped off his hoodie and his t-shirt. There was a large white bandage over the right side of his chest. "I got another tattoo," he replied.

Orihime pursed her lips, clasping her hands together and pointing her index fingers up, bringing them to rest under her nose as she nodded. She was trying really hard not to laugh. "Of course you did. Why wouldn't you?" she mumbled. "So what'd you get this time? A 15 with an X through it?" she tried harder not to laugh, this time at her own lame joke. Her eyes were squinting though. "Seriously, what is it?"

He rolled his eyes and proceeded to pick at the tape, holding the bandage in place. Thanks to his regenerative powers, the tattoo was already healed. With a swift yank, he pulled the covering off his chest. "Well?"

She raised her brows appreciatively and came closer to look at the art, the sarcasm and teasing wiped off her face. "This is really well-done. But why?" she asked, looking up to his eyes and back down to the new tattoo.

"Because as much as I've tried to hide and deny it, I've still got part of that hollow inside of me. It's not prominent, but I can still use those powers. Also, you met me when I had my mask fragment." Ulquiorra looked at Orihime as he spoke. "I got it because every time I paint my mask or dream of it, it reminds me of where I found my heart."

"Can I touch it?" she asked.

He nodded. "Go ahead."

She leaned forward and kissed it, then pressed her cheek to it and squeezed him with her arms around his ribs. "Thanks for the orange juice. And for finding your heart. I need it, you know."

Ulquiorra laughed and wrapped his arms around her. "So, uh, you wanna get, uh, _you know _, on the couch?"

She pulled her face back and rolled her eyes at him with great emphasis. "Don't you think I smell a little too much like a certain stinky shinigami?"

"We'll see. I have an idea. If I feed you my spiritual pressure while we're _making love _-" He said those words with emphasis. "You might smell like a stinky former Hollow."

She laughed. "Oh, so it's to be an experiment then? For the sake of science? Well then, far be it from me to impede the forward progress of mankind. Lead the way,_ Herr Doktor _."

He had the stupidest grin on his face as he pulled her closer. "I'm going to take my time, and I'm going to fuck you nice and slow. I'm going to make you scream in pleasure," Ulquiorra said before he kissed her.

She returned it, matching his enthusiasm, her heart swelling with love. Before she knew what she was doing, she pulled back and caught his eyes, murmuring, "What if we just eloped, like, tomorrow? Just go to town hall and get it done?"

"You really want to be a widow right away, don't you? If we do that and Hirano finds out, she'll kill me," Ulquiorra said. "I mean I was thinking about it too, but we just told her that we planned to be engaged for a while."

Orihime laughed. "I don't know what came over me, anyway. The thought crossed my mind and I blurted it out without even thinking," she said, tilting her head up to kiss him again.

Ulquiorra grabbed her ass and smiled at her. "How about as a graduation present?" He asked.

She pulled back again, this time confused as she knit her brows and then raised one. "You want to give me a wedding certificate as a graduation present? I'm already getting a diploma. How many documents can one girl get in a day?"

He put his hands up as if he were surrendering. "It was just an idea," he stated. "I mean, I could give you all the money I owe you. My accountant is gonna bitch but fair is fair. I didn't dream up your image."

She smirked. "I guess it would become marital property anyway, so it _is _only fair," she teased. "However, if I can't upset Hirano, I shouldn't upset your accountant. You can save it and then give it to Uryu later."

"Why would I give it to Quin?"

"Because I owe him _a lot _of money. And it's not like he would just take it out of my ass, either. I have to pay him back somehow or give him my firstborn. That's the way it works," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

Ulquiorra gave her a hard stare. "How would you give him a firstborn?" It was obvious he wasn't familiar with some terms.

"It's an antiquated idea, but now it's just an expression. I mean, technically it would mean the first kid I pop out goes to him. I don't know why he would want it though," she said with a nervous laugh.

"Will not happen," Ulquiorra said. He took her by the hand and lead her into the living room. "At least not while I'm around."

"I should expect not," she said, smiling, as he pulled her hand.

* * *

They were on the plane on their way to Mongolia a few days later. Ulquiorra had an itinerary on his phone from Hirano who made all the arrangements for him. She was rather efficient. He was only staying for five days and four nights. Orihime would be there longer. When he returned to Japan, he had that interview with J. Itoh. Hirano said the art critic was practically a sobbing, gushing mess when she had extended the offer to him. Itoh agreed to Hirano/Ulquiorra's terms and would be texting over a list of questions for them to look over.

He looked over at the redhead who was curled up in the seat next to him and smiled. They had been thinking about the same thing; about eloping. He had entertained the idea for a moment but it seemed like a rash decision to be made in the heat of the moment. Marriage was something not to be taken lightly. If he was going to be that committed to Orihime, he wanted it to be perfect and last. He didn't want to become some statistic.

Orihime woke up about an hour before they landed, stretching out, trying to to jostle Ulquiorra, who had his head slumped into his chest and was breathing deeply. He wasn't much of a deep sleeper in the first place, so she doubted very much that he was doing more than dozing. Still, he had been very stressed out lately, understandably so. He deserved whatever rest he could get.

His head popped up anyway a few minutes later when the pilot announced their final descent. "Did you get any rest?" she asked, putting her hand on his forearm.

"Eh," he said with a shrug. He'd forgotten that sleep mask. It had been stuffed into the pocket of his hoodie and that hoodie was at home. "Stupid turbulence."

She leaned over to kiss his cheek. "I'm sorry. We're almost there, and I think the only thing we _have _to do today is check in to our lodging and find Pauletto to confirm the schedule."

Ulquiorra nodded. At least flying wasn't as nerve-wracking this time and he wasn't trying to protect his girlfriend from some stalker asshole. The few days they had at home had been peaceful, except for Quin bitching at him about not bringing his set of keys back right away. "I wonder what Pauletto is going to have me do," he commented. He had emailed the designer, apologizing for taking Orihime away on emergency matters and that he would be delighted to help the man out if he wanted it by modeling. Pauletto's reply was almost instant; the designer was more than happy to accept the infamous Murcielago's help.

After going through the airport rigamarole they hopped in a cab that took them to their hotel. Orihime had tried to help load the luggage cart but the hotel staff in Mongolia were very catering and shooed her away, taking care of everything and bringing the luggage up to the room for them. Once they and their luggage were situated in the room, Orihime threw herself onto the bed in the middle of the room with an impressive bounce.

She pulled her phone out of her purse and started texting Pauletto after she had settled on the mattress. "I'll bet he won't respond until after dinner. Do you want to go down to the hotel restaurant of just get room service?" Orihime asked Ulquiorra as he came out of the restroom.

He flopped onto the bed beside her and then turned his head in her direction. "Room service. Screw being around other people right now."

She smiled and grabbed the menu on the side table. "What do you want to get? I can't be very adventurous because, you know, modeling."

"Woman, you can indulge once in a while," he stated after rolling his eyes. "Get some fish with your salad or something." Ulquiorra was joking but he knew about the gruesome side of modeling and watching people deal with their weight. Yui starved herself half the time. He'd see men do it too. He, of course, never worked out and ate what he wanted, yet still maintained that chiseled, perfect body.

"I think I'm going to get the fruit plate and some cottage cheese. I don't want an upset stomach. Oh and maybe a bottle of wine for dessert," she laughed.

"Steak and salad." They didn't have anything else on the menu that he wanted.

"Then red wine it is," she said, picking up the phone to call it in. After placing the order she checked her phone. Pauletto had written back to say he'd be available to talk in about three hours, and told her the room number he was staying in, and that they could meet there.

The food came about a half hour later. Orihime didn't waste any time with the wine, pouring herself a glass and asking if Ulquiorra wanted any or if he just wanted to sip out of her glass. It wasn't a huge bottle that she had ordered, more of a 'hotel' size, about two-thirds the size of a standard bottle.

"I don't want any," he said, digging into his food. There was a reason why he didn't indulge in alcohol that often. He'd read books about how there was something called addiction transference and how a lot of drug addicts went from substances to alcohol and it spiraled back down to drugs again. "So you have no clue what this photoshoot is going to be?"

"Well, I know this is the shoot for the majority of his travel/sport collection. We're going to take a bus out to the plains. It should be neat. There will be nomads and horses and falconers. I hope I get to hold a falcon!" Her eyes were starry as she imagined it, taking a sip of her wine and stabbing a piece of cantaloupe with her fork.

She looked at him seriously for a minute after swallowing the melon. "You know, if it makes things easier on you, I could give this up," she said after some consideration, holding up the wine glass and tilting it back and forth for emphasis.

"Why should you suffer? I only drink socially, you know that," Ulquiorra said. "I know my limits, Woman but thank you for offering."

"It's really no big deal. I honestly can't… I take that back, the last time I drank was when you proposed. But before that I can't remember the last time I drank when I wasn't out."

"Drinking comes with being a celebrity," he replied. Ulquiorra watched her for a moment. "Don't give up things just because of me."

She smirked and looked down. She was giving up things because of him all the time, not that it really bothered her. She'd stopped going out with Quin, she'd cut off Kurosaki, she'd even tried to cut down on how bitchy she acted all the time before they had met. She didn't regret giving those things up for him. It didn't feel like a net loss after considering what she gained by being with him. She didn't feel the need to point it out though. Instead she just smiled at him and said, "I don't mind giving up some things for you. You do for me."

Ulquiorra had given up a lot for her. He'd given up his fuckboy ways. He'd given up his life for her. He was going to give up being an artist for her. "You've matured a lot since I met you," he said with a small smile.

She chuckled. "I should hope so, I was a kid when we met."

"I meant this past year. You went from a complete bitch to my sweet woman," Ulquiorra elaborated, giving her an evaluating stare. "Don't you think so?"

Her smile twisted to the side. "A _complete _bitch? Really? I think I was pretty accommodating… I mean, I let you kiss me without repercussions. I let a _dead guy_kiss me. That's pretty kind," she laughed. "Anyway, you really think I've changed that much?" She tilted her head and thought about it.

He narrowed his eyes. "I assure you I was not dead when I kissed you. I'm a hot blooded male. Had I kissed you in Hueco Mundo, then you would have been kissing a dead guy. Also there were repercussions, I don't think you noticed them."

"Like what?" She had no idea what he was talking about.

"You were more of a bitch to me. I had to charm the pants off you. Do you know how many times I jerked off to you and the image and memory of kissing you?" Ulquiorra colored slightly and looked down at his food.

She giggled. "How many times?"

"More times than I can remember. I thought about sending you pics of it but I knew if I sent a dick pic, you'd probably slap me… again."

"Well spotted, I would have. Or I would have written you off as a crazy pervert." She giggled again. "You weren't the only one, you know. I was a virgin for longer than most, I think. I wasn't like, _saintly _though. I had urges," she admitted, blushing and stuffing her mouth with grapes to shut it.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I remember you saying how you wanted to get dicked down. I about died on the spot."

She almost spit out her grapes. She had to cover her mouth and laugh through her nose, chewing furiously and swallowing so she wouldn't choke. "That's what happens when I'm overtired and have no filter. That was the god's honest truth. But I meant, ya know… my _nightly routine _… when I was in school or Las Noches and even after I started living with Quin, I had, um, mental images of you to work with."

"He ever get you off?" Ulquiorra asked, tilting his head to the side. He knew Quin said they were intimate. "Also, I had a lot of images of you to work with. There were camera things all over your room and the bathroom. Ichimaru said it was necessary to watch you all the time."

"Then you probably saw me getting myself off to you," she admitted as if it was just a non-consequential thing. "As for Quin, do you really want to know? I mean, it seems like it would hurt you or piss you off if the answer was yes."

"He's already told me you guys were… _entangled _, I'm going to assume the answer is yes," Ulquiorra explained. "He told me while we were visiting the Visoreds. It doesn't matter to me. I just want to know if I'm better."

"Well, if honesty is what you want, yes, he did get me off, but I very much doubt it was intentional. I mean, neither of us had any experience and we were just like, curious. What did it feel like to touch it? That kind of thing. That only happened once or twice; neither one of us was a fan. The getting off mostly happened fully clothed, just like, kissing and humping blindly… Not much to say about it but that it was soulless and sad. Neither of us were there for the other, just trying to get ourselves off but using the other one's leg instead of our own hands."

Ulquiorra mulled over this information for a moment before he reached for her wineglass and downed the rest of the liquid. He felt like he needed it. "If I could have found you sooner I would," he finally said.

She nodded, feeling a bit sad, but then looked toward him. Not in the eye, she couldn't do that after her confession. "Everything happens in its own time, I suppose. Maybe you wouldn't have been ready for me. Maybe I wouldn't have been ready for you."

"Hey," he said, grabbing her hand. "It doesn't matter. I would have… I would have done the same things for you. I've loved you for a long time. I'm happy you're with me. Quin told me the exact same thing. You two were just lonely and trying to find your place in the world."

She nodded and teared up at the memory, and at hearing Quin's words through Ulquiorra's mouth. She had always felt kind of guilty for what they had done. She knew that it had hurt her and she worried that it may have hurt him too.

"You're not lonely anymore, are you?"

She wiped her eyes with the back of one hand and shook her head. "No. I'm finally happy," she set her food to the side and climbed into his lap, resting her head under his chin. "I…I don't know what to say to tell you how I feel. I ache when we are separated but I'm not lonely as a general rule. I feel you with me always… does that make sense?"

He hummed his agreement. It made perfect sense because he felt the same way. There was no words to describe how he felt about her and how he felt for her. Even if he did use words, he couldn't say them all to precisely describe the emotions that she brought to his mind. "You're my everything, Orihime."

She closed her eyes and breathed him in, nodding. "You too," she said. "I cannot imagine my life without you in it. I really don't want to either."

* * *

They eventually finished eating and took a short nap until Orihime's phone alarm woke them up for their meeting with Pauletto. She splashed some water on her face and made sure her hair wasn't a rat's nest and then let Ulquiorra use the bathroom, before heading up to Pauletto's room. He was enjoying the relatively low costs of Mongolia and had rented the penthouse suite for his stay there.

When the elevator arrived at the floor marked PH, they had to be buzzed in. The doors opened and Orihime's jaw about hit the floor. Nearly 360 degree views of the mountains in the distance, twinkling with road lights, were the first sight that caught her attention. "Wow, Pauletto, the view here is amazing!" she gushed, walking into the space.

"I know, isn't it magical?" Pauletto said, with a smile. "I take it your business is all finished?"

"Yes, everything has been _handled _. Thank you for accommodating me," Orihime responded with a bow.

The designer nodded. "That's good to hear. Ah, Murcielago! It's nice to see your face."

Ulquiorra mumbled a greeting. He wasn't too enthused about this. He had worked with Markus long enough to know that fashion designers had two faces. "Thank you, Pauletto for allowing me to take Orihime away for a couple of days."

"No worries to both of you. It was my pleasure. Please, sit."

Orihime had a seat at the table and crossed her legs at the ankles and clasped her hands together, doing her best impression of a prim and obedient employee. "So, what is our schedule? What would you like me, or us, to do?"

Pauletto sat down and stretched out on one of the posh couches. "We're going to be doing normal stuff with the line I'm coming out with but I also have a special project for the two of you, that is if you don't mind."

"Special?" Ulquiorra asked. He was still standing with his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Elaborate."

"I want to bury Markus. I'd like to have you and Orihime model some things I've designed especially for you two," Pauletto said.

"Which is?"

"Lingerie."

Orihime's eyebrows flashed and her eyes shot to Ulquiorra's to gauge his reaction.

"Lingerie?" Ulquiorra asked in a somewhat threatening voice.

"Don't be a stick in the mud, Murcielago."

"What kind of lingerie, Pauletto?" Orihime asked in a professional manner.

"Nothing too extreme. I mean Murcielago has posed naked," Pauletto quipped. "I don't see what the big deal is, really."

Orihime held her left hand up. "I'm about to be a married woman. I have a certain level of decency to adhere to," she said plainly.

It was Pauletto's eyebrows that shot up this time. "You're going to be married? Well!" He almost looked scandalized. "Who is the lucky man?"

"Who do you think it is? Why would I come all the way to Russia just to spend a couple of hours with her? Duh."

"Your attitude certainly precedes you," Pauletto said. "Markus said you were a bit of a diva."

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. "Just tell us what _we _want to know and _we _will tell you if _we _agree to it."

"I see you in a t-shirt, a silk t-shirt and a simple pair of boxer-briefs." Pauletto shuffled through some papers on the coffee table and pulled out a sketch with some samples of fabric. "Nothing too daring. For Orihime, a simple strapless bra and a skimpy pair of underwear. It's more to showcase what I can do with male fashion. We all know I'm a genius when it comes to the female form."

"Indeed you are, Pauletto, bravo!" Orihime said with a smug, but sincere-looking, smile and a golf-clap. She was just kissing his ass. "I think that would be agreeable, what do you think, Ul… Cifer?" she almost slipped his real name into the conversation and bit the inside of her cheek as punishment.

"Think of it as revenge."

Ulquiorra didn't react to the slipup. He gave Pauletto a leveled gaze. "I am doing this for Orihime, do you understand this?"

"I can be Murcielago's Last Shoot," Pauletto replied, not really answering the question.

"Alright, when will we do that shoot? What locations are we using?" Orihime wanted to get this meeting over with and go back to bed.

"The penthouse and whenever you have an afternoon free."

"I leave at the end of the week," Ulquiorra said. "But I'm sure we can squeeze it in."

"Perfect! You two are free until tomorrow morning then!"

"Alright, have your person text me the schedule, would you darling?" Orihime said sweetly to the designer.

"Will do!"

* * *

Ulquiorra had a grumpy look on his face as they entered the hotel room again. "Did you know about this?" he asked Orihime as the door closed. He wasn't implying anything. He was curious.

"Not a clue," she said, equally curious. "Why do you think he would want to use me to bury Markus? Why not just you?"

"That first photoshoot we had together? Markus said we had chemistry. Maybe Pauletto wants something like that?" he answered, not really sure; it was all speculation. "But if he puts you in barely anything, there might be more than just chemistry between us."

"Well, it's not the same as stealing a sex tape or some racy pics. This would be _fashion. _This would be _art. _ It would be a more commercial version of your prints, but showing off some expensive underwear," she theorized.

Ulquiorra sighed but he understood what she was saying. "I just don't like the idea of him using us for it."

"Well, maybe we can think of it as our very own "screw you" to Markus also. It will be different though; I was in evening gowns for Markus' shoot. I'll be nearly nude in this one. You'll actually be wearing more than me. Oh! Oh! People can see my new tattoo if the bra back is low enough! Now I'm excited!" She was grinning. "To be honest, for me, this is more of a "fuck you" to Yui…"

"Really? You're still stressing about her?" the green-eyed man asked.

"I mean... Kind of. It's not because I don't trust you, it's just that she's so disrespectful of my status and relation to you. Kurosaki was telling me some things when I was on the phone with him the other day. He's no saint either, but she _really _still has it bad for you."

"What?" Ulquiorra was confused. Yui still liked him? That was hard to digest. "What do you mean she has it bad for me? She hates me."

"No, well, maybe. She hates me, for sure. She thinks I stole you from her. She doesn't want anyone else to have you if she can't. You are 'the one who got away', so to speak. She was following you with Kurosaki that night after Aquamarine. She wanted to show me those pictures just as much as he did. Who knows if I can trust anything he says, though."

Ulquiorra scoffed. "Please, I told her from the beginning we could be friends and that was it. That was all I was interested in… well not even that. I just wanted her to go away but she constantly was in my face. It was a distraction at times for what was going on but still. She's not you and she'll never be you."

"Well, she must be an optimist because she seems to be holding out hope," Orihime said with a sigh. "Anyway, her and this Emi Takahashi can go pound salt. I want to stick it to them. It's so rude what they've done, knowing that we love each other. I'd love, absolutely _love _, to do a huge engagement announcement, just to rub it in their faces. Oooooh, or say I'm pregnant! That would twist the knife…" Orihime's mind was going to a dark place now, she was actually doing the evil mastermind finger-twiddling thing.

"No pregnancy, we talked about this," UIquiorra said.

She looked up at him with an eyeroll "I didn't mean for real."

Oh! She meant to say it to deceive people."Don't you think eloping and announcing our marriage might be a better tactic? You'd be proving Takahashi right in some aspects with the baby thing."

She took a deep breath and nodded at him. "You're right. You are definitely the strategist between the two of us…"

"Maybe if you wear your ring in the photos that also might get the point across," he stated.

"I don't plan to take it off unless I an contractually obligated to do so," she replied. Then her shoulders slumped. "Being vindictive kind of takes it out of me. I want to take a shower and get into bed. What do you say?"

"Sounds like a perfect plan."

Orihime got into the shower first. All was well as she washed her hair and lathered up her body, but as she let her conditioner set, something that Ulquiorra said kind of bothered her. As she washed out the conditioner and rinsed her body, she thought about what he had said the other day, about "not liking the odds" and today with the "no pregnancy". She didn't understand why it bothered her so much. She was in no hurry to reproduce, but somewhere in the back of her mind, she always assumed she would have children one day. She didn't like that Ulquiorra seemed to be slamming the door on the possibility.

Now was not the time to talk about it, though. They had a lot to do. It was all just a nebulous idea right now anyway. She kept pep talking herself as she toweled off and moisturized, finally stepping into the bedroom when she was ready to smile again. "Bathroom's all yours," she said.

Ulquiorra looked up at her from where he lay on the bed. She looked refreshed but the expression didn't quite reach her eyes. He shook his head. He'd been so caught up in J. Itoh's questions that Hirano had texted to him that he didn't realize that much time had passed. "Feel better?" He asked as he laid the phone on the table beside the bed.

She nodded. "Like a new woman," she said, patting her hair dry while sitting on the side of the bed. "What were you up to?"

"I got the interview questions. Itoh seems like he's going to be attacking Takahashi's journalistic ways. I guess the interview is going to be put onto his blog and into some art magazine."

"Perfect. Did he say when he's going to publish?"

He shook his head. "Don't know. I think Hirano would know that information. If she does, she didn't tell me. Do you want me to stay in here with you until you fall asleep or are you going to wait until I'm out of the shower?"

"I'll wait," she said, picking up her phone and checking her emails. "Looks like I owe Quin a message that we got here safely anyway." She looked up at him, "He likes you, you know. I know you think you're not friends or anything, but you could be." She looked back down at her phone after that. She wasn't expecting a reply.

He stared at her for a moment before he went into the bathroom. He'd already brought his shampoo and other bath stuff in here when they first got to the room, so he grabbed the three bottles and turned the water as hot as it would go. It didn't take long for the small room to fill with steam.

Friends with the Quincy? How could that guy want to be friends with him? Did he not remember Ulquiorra cutting his hand off? Did he forget that Ulquiorra had pulled Kurosaki's Zanpakuto from his abdomen and left him there to bleed? It didn't make sense to him. Would Ishida be willing to forgive all that? He wasn't all that certain the other man would.

When he was done in the shower and had a towel wrapped around his hips, Ulquiorra walked into the room and over to his suitcase. He was grabbing a pair of sweats out of it when he said, "You want me to be friends with Quin?"

"It's completely up to you. It would be nice to eventually have one friend in common, at least. But it doesn't have to be him," she said, still staring at her phone.

He straightened his body and dropped the towel onto the floor. Ulquiorra would pick it up later. He turned his head and glanced at her. She didn't seem to be in the mood so he put the clothing on. "Well I'm not gonna call Kurosaki for spa day or anything," he said. "I guess I could try to be friendly towards Ishida."

She laughed at that. "Hey, if I don't get to be friends with him, neither do you. Come lay down," she said, pulling the covers back on his side.

Ulquiorra did as she said and crawled in beside her and kissed her once. "Orihime, it'd be different if he wanted to be friends. He doesn't want to be friends. He wants something that I won't allow him to have with you. He wants to take my place."

"You mean Kurosaki? Yeah, I know. You can't be friends with someone who does not want to 'be friends', can you? It was always a strained relationship anyway."

His thoughts drifted to the five lifetimes nonsense she had spouted before he had taken her to Los Noches. She had been a different person at that time; an idealistic teenager with the world at her feet. He could see the appeal of Kurosaki's standoffish attitude. Even that hadn't deterred her from wanting him to be a knight in shining armor. It was an old memory and a fuzzy one at that.

Ulquiorra put his hand on her thigh and gently rubbed the area with a smile. "What's got your attention?"

"Nothing special. Just deleting spam emails and catching up on my social media. I'm still supposed to be doing it. Think we should post one together in bed with a caption saying nightie-night?" She joked.

"We could, if you want." Ulquiorra studied her for a moment before he rolled onto his back. He sighed.

"What's gotten into you?" she asked. "Is it the Quin thing? Because if it is don't worry it was just a thought."

He looked at her. "I paraded around in a towel. I made sure to bare my ass to you and I get nothing. A kiss and I just touched you. Nada. What's wrong with you?"

"Sorry, a stupid thought crawled into my mind and it won't leave me alone. It will eventually though," she smiled and kissed him.

"Want to enlighten me or no?"

"It's just going to upset you for no reason." She didn't like to keep things from him and she felt conflicted about doing it now.

"Okay, I'm sure you'll tell me when you're ready." Ulquiorra turned and grabbed his phone off the table and opened up an app. He started scrolling through it. Maybe if he gave her some space, she'd tell him. If not, well he'd ask her about it again some other time… like in a couple of hours.

This was no good. Now she couldn't think about anything else. She felt uncomfortable. After a few minutes, her leg started jittering under the covers. Finally after about eight minutes she couldn't take it anymore, and turning to face him, she just blurted it out, "Ulquiorra, why do you hate the idea of having children with me?"

This was bothering her? Now? Why? "It's not you. I'm not suitable parental material," he said in a flat tone. "I don't think I'd be a good father. I don't even know if I can. I would think a hollow would be sterile. If Hollows could reproduce there would be little replicas of Grimmjow and Nel running around or whoever he fornicates with."

She couldn't believe some of the stupid shit that came out of his mouth once in awhile. "Dude! You are NOT. A. HOLLOW. Human body. Human DNA. You will die like the rest of us and live kinda like the rest of us. What, do you think you won't age? This isn't a gigai you are in. Anyway, that's all beside the point. You have considered only one side of this."

He shifted his eyes away from the phone, giving her a side-eyed glance. "And what is that?"

"That by taking it off the table, you're denying me a large part of the human experience…" she said, and immediately regretted it. She hadn't even thought about it in so many words before, but it was the truth. What if this was a deal-breaker for them? She wished desperately to take it all back.

"We've had this discussion before Orihime. Right now we need to focus on us and stabilizing our relationship before introducing even the thought of something like that. Some days I don't want it to happen and other days I do. I think with a thought process like mine, that wouldn't be good. Plus the whole having to give away first borns, and the fact that they could be spiritually aware, it's not something I could handle," Ulquiorra explained.

"Nevermind," She said softly and turned over to her side. "We have an early start tomorrow." She reached up to turn off her bedside lamp, her eyes burning with unshed tears.

He sighed. "No, not nevermind. What is the issue? I said not right now. That could change in a couple of years."

"I don't want any anytime soon either, but the things and limitations you have mentioned won't change in the future," she said, glumly. She didn't get up.

"But you're not-ugh," he lamented, clearly frustrated. He didn't know how much more plainly he could put it. "If you don't want any children anytime soon then why does this bother you?"

"Let's be perfectly clear, then," she said, turning onto her back and looking up at him in the dim light. "Say we don't come to an agreement on this, and one day down the road I feel that in order to be happy in my life, I need to have a child. If you don't, what will we do then? Go our separate ways? I don't want that!" she gestured with her hands for emphasis, letting them fall heavily to her sides on the bed with her palms facing upward.

Ulquiorra frowned then sat up. "Does this matter that much to you?"

"It might, someday. I don't know. I just don't want it to come between us, you know?" she said in a small voice, her lower lip starting to pout and wobble.

"Orihime, if I said I wanted a baby right now what would you say? You'd say no, right? Because you have your career," Ulquiorra replied. "I know you're not going to be a model forever but I'm stuck with this human body. I can't take my soul and go to Urahara and demand a new Gigai or body or whatever. I'm stuck with all the defects this body has."

She shook her head. "Even if I quit modeling today, I still wouldn't want a baby right now. I'm too young and selfish. And I'm not pooh-poohing your issues. I know that they're real. It's just… It's a big deal."

"Ding, ding. We have a winner. You just hit the nail on the head. From what I've heard and seen, most males my age are selfish. I don't want to have to share you with anyone and not someone like an infant that would take up a lot of your time. If you don't want kids right now, this shouldn't be an issue right now."

"Okay, please correct me if I am wrong then, because I am currently under the impression that you never ever want them under any circumstances," she looked up at him with wide, unblinking eyes.

His mouth drew into a thin line. She still didn't understand! "Like I said, some days I don't and those days are mostly filled with needless drama and other bullshit. If the Titus thing had happened and you were pregnant or we had a child, I would have gone ballistic. Then there are some days I do and those are the days when I'm alone with you and there's nothing between us but each other."

She bit the inside of her cheek and considered his words. He sounded like he really had no idea. She didn't know what she expected. "Alright," she said, looking down to examine her nails. "I get it I guess. I just was freaked out. I mean, imagine if I was all, "babies! I want babies I need babies!" all the time, and you thought_maybe _someday you would consider it but by my enthusiasm you felt like the choice was being taken away from you? That's kind of how I was feeling, but in reverse."

"If you wanted babies right now I would take the steps and seek help for stabilizing my moods. Then I would consider where we were in life. I'm well off; you'll be finishing school soon, not the most ideal situation but it could work. However..." he held up a finger and paused for a second. "We're both selfish and demand too much from each other in the way of attention to consider an addition."

"I know. Spawning now was never the issue," she said with a bit of revulsion in her voice. "I was thinking about the distant future."

"Woman," Ulquiorra murmured and motioned for her to get in his lap. "That's the future and I try not to think about it because we could make plans and have them dashed to bits. Live in the now."

She scooted over and leaned into him. "I agree about living in the now, and I'm not planning out a set path for me or for us, but it is responsible to consider possibilities before opening or closing doors to them, don't you think?"

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and buried his nose into her hair, inhaling what he knew to be her scent. "Orihime, if I did not want to give you every opportunity I could, I wouldn't have asked you to marry me. I would have not given you _brand loyalty _. I would not have gotten so much of you tattooed onto my body. I've considered what you're asking and I didn't completely close the door; right now it's just cracked open because at any time something could happen."

_Grimmjow could happen. _ Of course, how could she be so stupid? She could hear the fear in his voice even though he hid it well. So well in fact that she often forgot it was an issue. "I'm an idiot. Don't listen to me," she said, smiling and twisting in his arms to kiss him.

"You're not an idiot. You're a human who carries a lot of fear inside of you… Just like me. I'm scared too. I will always listen to you."

She caught his lips again and deepened the kiss, only to pull back a minute later and pull him into a hug. "I love you, Ulquiorra. I'm sorry for making a big deal out of things sometimes. I know we have bigger, more pressing issues to deal with."

He kissed her tenderly. "C'mon, let's get some rest. You said Pauletto is going to have us up early tomorrow; we should sleep."

As if on cue, a huge, animated yawn struck Orihime, and she covered her mouth and stretched her other arm out to the side, releasing her man. "You're right again," she said sleepily, climbing off of his lap and plopping down onto her pillow. She opened her arms to him though. "Come on, I'll hold you tonight."

Ulquiorra looked at Orihime with affection filled eyes. A lot of the time, he couldn't believe he was lucky enough to have found her again. He bit his lip and nodded, laying his head down on her chest. Maybe he _would _reconsider the whole parent thing someday. Orihime would make a great mother.


	42. Chapter 42

**WARNING: MATURE CONTENT**

**Chapter 42: On Location**

Orihime woke the next morning before her alarm with Ulquiorra's head still nestled in the crook of her arm. Very carefully, she extricated herself and went to the restroom, checking her phone on the way. The bus to take them out to the location was set to leave in about an hour.

Orihime decided to go downstairs to the hotel lobby after her quick shower to pick up some fruit and toast or something from the complimentary breakfast and bring it back up to the room for her and Ulquiorra.

When she got back up to the room, Ulquiorra was in the shower, so she set the breakfast stuff down and looked over the schedule for the day. She was scheduled on and off all day long, with and without Ulquiorra.

She got a message from Ichigo while she was waiting. She sighed to herself, clicking on it. It was short and sweet:

_\- I'm sorry. I hope you're feeling better._

She pursed her lips and nodded, not feeling the need to respond. She heard the water turn off and set her phone to the side, getting up to knock on the bathroom door.

"Good morning, I brought up breakfast from the first floor. We have to leave in about twenty minutes!" she said through the door.

Ulquiorra looked toward the door as heard her voice. He had slept pretty well but more images of bluish-white lights, Grimmjow's face and the images of Titus as a hollow plagued his dreams at times. He had woken up from the dream in a cold sweat to find Orihime gone.

It had scared him to find her not there. That made him panic but he calmed down. Her luggage was still there in the room.

He sighed quietly before he replied, "Okay, I'll be out in a moment."

Orihime didn't miss the less than pleased color of his voice, and it bothered her. She went to sit down and wait for him to come out.

Opening the door less than a minute later, he was already dressed for the day. He gave her a glance before grabbing his socks and shoes to put them on. "You were up early. You should have woken me up." Ulquiorra tried to disguise the fear he felt from his dreams and his panic at finding her gone.

"You haven't slept much lately and I didn't want to wake you, I'm sorry. What is bothering you?" Orihime replied, worried that it might have been something that she did.

"Just dreams."

"What kind of dreams?"

"The same old stuff. Really," he said.

Orihime nodded. "Coffee?" She looked at him, worried. Usually when he clammed up it wasn't a good thing.

Then it occurred to her that she was doing the same thing. She shook her head and decided to at least rectify things in her end. "Kurosaki sent me a text this morning, apologizing."

Ulquiorra looked at her, a concerned expression on his face. "And? I mean you don't-You can be friends with him it's just… " He sighed. "I don't trust him. I'm sorry. I kept having dreams about past memories, the white columns of light, Grimmjow and that hollow. It'd been a while since I saw one."

"No, I can't. I don't think so, anyway. It's like me saying you can be friends with Yui. That's a lie. She would never be _friends _with you. I hope someday maybe he can be friends with me, but I don't think that will be possible until he finds someone else. I don't know… What do you think?"

The artist shrugged. "I don't know if he could ever be happy with just friends. He seems like he's an entitled brat. _Oh, look, I saved the world, I deserve everything._It's childish. I'm not standing around expecting the world to be handed to me just because I sacrificed myself for you."

She looked at him with small smile and a quirked brow. " Maybe not the world but a little bit you expected me… I mean that night at the gallery, and the first time at your place… It felt like you kind of expected me to just fall at your feet."

"No," he said but then shook his head. He had been expecting it a little but there was a reason. "A little but that's only because I told you my intentions and I thought you knew how I felt already."

She smiled at him. "You misjudged that one. I thought you saw me as a conquest, but that's all. Little did I know…" she trailed off, looking at the carpet and laughed at herself. "And now look at us," she said, raising her head and left hand, wiggling her fingers to scatter light off of her engagement ring, "I don't think even _you _were expecting this."

Again he shook his head. She was partially correct. He never saw her as a conquest. However Ulquiorra had never thought he would have a fiancée or give up his days as a whore. In all honesty, he had expected her to be done with him a long time ago.

"Oh come on, a guy who had marriage knocking around in his mind would never have tried to 'charm' me the way you did at first. You're lucky I had a crush on you," she admitted in a way that emphasized his luck. She was trying to distract him and cheer him up.

"I never had a chance with you as an Espada," he replied.

"I meant as you did when I met you last year. As an Espada… well, you died too fast for either of us to find out."

Ulquiorra finished putting on his shoes and stood. He looked at Orihime, thinking about her words. "I suppose so. It wasn't like I was exactly an open book as the dead guy," he said. "Food?"

"Yeah, just some toast and some fruit, I didn't know what you'd be in the mood for. They'll have catering at the location but I don't know how long the drive will take so I thought we ought to be prepared," she said, sounding a bit nervous.

He walked over and took the toast, folding it in half before taking a bite. He chewed slowly for a moment. "Do I need to take anything besides my phone?"

"I doubt it. I'm just going to bring my purse if you want to put your documents in them or you can put them in the safe, it's up to you," she said, going to the door and putting her shoes on. "I don't know why I'm so nervous about this. We've modeled together before-" she cut herself off. She just answered her own question. The last time they had modeled together, they broke up in the aftermath.

Frowning, Ulquiorra looked at the floor. "Bad memories? The only time we were together in pictures was traumatic? The last time we modeled together I screamed at you and then left?" He sighed. "Maybe this isn't a good idea. Maybe we should tell Pauletto that we can't do this."

She knit her brows. It wasn't going to be anything like the last time, was it? They were in a much better place now than they were then. "You really think so? I'm sure it will be fine. I had actually forgotten _why _it was a bad memory before until just now; that's how much water under the bridge it is for me. What else is bothering you?"

"I woke up and you were gone," he said, tearing the toast into little pieces, letting the crumbs fall to the floor. His appetite was gone now. "I panicked. I had dreams of Grimmjow killing me again and that hollow. You were gone. I-I freaked out."

Orihime approached him with quick steps and put her hands on his upper arms. "I'm here, I'm sorry - all you had to do is reach for me with your pesquisa and you would have found me. But I'm here. Titus is dead. Grimmjow thinks you are, too, and there's no way he would ever look for you here, anyway," Ulquiorra was looking to the side, not really seeing anything but the images inside his mind. "Look at me, please. I'm right here. I'm not leaving you. I love you."

His eyes flickered to hers. He didn't know why it bothered him. He'd been having the dreams for a while since he woke up as a human but there were lulls in the activity that made him think that they had finally gone away. Ulquiorra nodded. Orihime's words seemed sincere. "I also want this entire thing to be over with so that we can go home."

"Me too. This will be over in a few days and we can go. But look on the bright side: you might get to ride a horse or something. Wouldn't that be cool?"

"What's a horse? Are they those skinny looking cow things?"

Orihime laughed. "Well, you could describe them like that, I think. But most people agree that they are more aesthetically pleasing that cows. And they are faster."

He nodded. Ulquiorra only knew about cows because the comic artist drew a cow and was trying to show it to him. The woman had looked at him like he was crazy when he said he had never seen one before in his life. "Oh. I still have a lot to learn," he said softly. "We should get going."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Alright, but not before this," she said, standing up on tiptoes and pressing her lips to his. After several seconds she pulled back and set herself back down on her heels. "That's better. Let's go," she said, dropping her arms but letting one trail down to grab his hand.

His fingers itched to grab her and pull her back against him. Ulquiorra didn't though because he knew they had a schedule to keep. He gave her a look and a small smile. "It is better but I think I may need more of that later."

"There's always the bus ride."

* * *

"No, no, no! You can't dig your heels into his sides, he'll panic and run away!" a cranky wrangler was yelling at Orihime as she sat on top of a short white horse wearing a long dark brown leather coat, bare legs and boots.

"I'm sorry, it just keeps moving and I feel like I'm going to fall off!" she apologized, grasping the animal's mane tightly and squeezing her eyes shut as she relaxed her legs. It probably would have been a lot easier with a saddle, but the horse began to relax as soon as Orihime did, and she slowly opened her eyes.

"You promise he's not going to run away with me?" Orihime whimpered, still quite terrified.

The wrangler rolled his eyes and said nothing.

Ulquiorra had stared the beast down before listening to the man about how to get on and off the horse. The animal tried to prance about but Ulquiorra pulled on the reins to get the horse to stop. His horse had also nibbled on his hair which caused a scowl to form on his face. The other horse wrangler was quietly taking off the bridle which caused slight panic in Ulquiorra. "Won't it hurt if I pull his hair?"

"It's called a mane and no. It's a female anyway."

The photographer started calling out directions and took his photographs while Orihime and Ulquiorra were mounted, then asked Orihime to get off her horse and get on Ulquiorra's behind him.

"Won't I hurt her?"

"No, she's strong," the wrangler said. "Just try to keep your balance and she'll be fine."

The wrangler knit his fingers together for Orihime to step on and gave her a boost. She held onto Ulquiorra's waist and managed to swing her leg over the dark brown mare's back without booting her in the rump, settling in behind Ulquiorra as gently as possible. The wrangler rebridled the mare and handed Ulquiorra the reins, and the photographer told him to act like they were going somewhere and to look into the distance.

Orihime did as directed and murmured to Ulquiorra, "So, is this your first time on horseback? Oh duh, of course it is. It's mine. This is absolutely, without a doubt the scariest thing I've ever done."

He managed to look impassive and sighed. "If I ever model again… I want it to be known I do not want to work with animals. This thing… It chewed on me."

"Well you are delicious," she said while maintaining her resting bitch face.

Ulquiorra had to fight hard to not roll his eyes. "How would you know?" he replied to her.

"You know how I know," she said, her voice teasing but face straight.

The photographer called out a direction for Orihime to hold Ulquiorra's arm facing the camera and wrap the far one around his torso to cling to his chest, pressing her cheek against his back and looking like some kind of romance novel cover heroine. She did as directed, and between shots whispered, "I wonder if you taste the same in Mongolia."

"Don't tease me," he said. Ulquiorra felt her body against him and wanted to groan at the memory of her between his legs. "You had a couple licks in Japan."

"More than a couple but definitely not enough. A problem that shall need to be remedied. And I _never _tease," she said, as the wranglers approached to get them off the horse; that particular set was complete.

A quiet laugh left him. "Really? You tease me all the time, _Inoue _. You can breathe and it teases me."

"Well that is certainly not intentional… mostly. Anyway, I think we are free for the next hour, do you want to go get a drink? I need to clean between my legs. Never thought I'd have to say that because of a horse," she said, lifting one leg out to the side and exposing an area of soft brown dust with white and brown hairs stuck to it where her legs had been in contact with the horses' bodies.

He just stared at her before nodding. "The _mostly _part bothers me," Ulquiorra said.

"Well then I'll be a perfect little angel from now on if that's your preference," she said, entering a changing tent and finding a rag to wash herself with. She peeled off the over-the-knee boots she was wearing and continued, "For example, I will definitely not expose you to such filth as this," she said, putting her now-bare foot up on a ledge about the same height as her hip and covering up with the long coat only after she brought the towel to her crotch.

Biting his lip, Ulquiorra walked up to Orihime, moving the fabric she tried to cover up with to the side. "I never said that, Woman. You know what you're doing to me. You're trying to seduce me," he said, running his hand up her thigh then bringing it between her legs.

Orihime bit her own lip as he touched her and shuddered. There was something to the idea of sex after doing something scary, in this case, sitting on horses. She was already wet. The problem was she did also very much smell like a horse. As that thought occurred to her, her nose wrinkled up and she blew her hair out of her face. "You don't have to do that, Love. I am filthy."

"I'm not putting my face down there. Just playing," he murmured to her, hand cupping her underwear covered lips. "For the moment."

She whined softly. "No fair," she mumbled as she started cleaning herself in earnest. "This dust will come off but I don't think I'll actually feel clean until after I've had a real bath."

Ulquiorra laughed and tilted her head up to kiss her. "Maybe after a bath I'll go down on you," he said, pulling away from her.

Orihime looked around. This tent was not especially private, but she knew somewhere that would be. "So, Ulquiorra, why don't you get out of that and into your changing gown. I have someplace I want to show you. Pauletto sets these location shots up very nicely."

He found the changing gown and stripped right in front of Orihime. He didn't particularly like the clothing he would be modeling. It looked like Pauletto tried to design some kind of fashionista cowboy. He gave the woman a look over his shoulder and smirked, as he pulled the robe on. "Well," he asked as he put on the footwear the designer had also furnished.

She finished cleaning herself up and ditched her clothes as well, standing before Ulquiorra in all her nude glory while she fished around for a robe. She found one that wasn't too big and shrugged her way into it and grabbed some moccasins and Ulquiorra's hand, leading him out of the tent and into another.

"This is Pauletto's break room. He's not taking a break right now. We are," she said, pushing Ulquiorra inside and against a desk that had been set up inside behind a dividing wall. "You've had a very very hard time recently, haven't you?" Orihime cooed, slipping her hands under the front of the robe and over his chiseled chest, down his abdomen and then back out to the robe's belt, which she quickly undid. "Don't you think you deserve to relax?" she asked as she sank to her knees.

Ulquiorra took a deep breath and nodded. It was all he could do to grip the edge of the desk. "Orihime," he said, a complaint ready on his lips but he didn't have the heart to say it. "You're being naughty."

"No, I believe I'm being nice," she said, pulling his flaccid member out of his robe and stroking it gently. She noticed that it was taking longer than usual for him to react to her touch but said nothing. When he was satisfactorily hard, she took him into her mouth and started to bob her head up and down it, whatever didn't fit into her mouth being taken care of with her hands. He just wasn't getting into it as she had hoped, though.

He was enjoying it but the whole being in public thing wasn't doing it for him. People he didn't know were outside. There could be some crazy fan around with a camera. Pauletto could walk in… What if Pauletto had cameras in this tent? "Okay. Okay," he said pressing on her shoulders.

She backed off, sighing through her nostrils, but smiling up at him and reaching around to retie the belt of his robe. She stood and said, "Something to eat then, maybe?" She turned around quickly and moved toward the exit, hoping to hide the embarrassment that was making her face hotter by the second.

What the hell was his problem? What the hell was wrong with him? Ulquiorra stared at Orihime before he walked behind her. He was frowning at her back but he stayed silent as they exited the tent. What was her issue with wanting to know what was wrong with him? Why couldn't she be content with his answer about the dreams? Did she think there was some underlying cause to all of this?

Orihime didn't stop or look back until they got to the catering tent, and immediately let herself get distracted by the first girl that called her name, asking about her absence in Russia. She made brief conversation with the other model and then got some orange juice and found a seat.

Ulquiorra got himself a bottle of water. There weren't many men in Pauletto's contingent of models, so there was no one he could hang around with; not that he wanted to be around anyone but he had seen the way the other females looked at him and it made him turn his attention somewhere else. He sat down beside Orihime and studied her. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I was just a little embarrassed, is all. You obviously weren't into that and I read the situation wrong. I'm sorry," she said quietly, looking only at her bottle and stroking it absently.

"Not just that since this morning. What has been bugging you?" Ulquiorra questioned. Something was obviously bothering them both.

"I don't even know, to be honest. I just have this feeling like you are a thousand miles away from me right now and there is nothing I can do to reach you. I don't know why. I don't know what caused it. When we went to bed last night it felt like everything was great and then when I came back this morning there was like a barrier, and that was before I told you about the text from Kurosaki, so I know it wasn't that."

Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes for a moment then thought back to that morning. He'd been out of sorts because of their discussion last night and Pauletto. He was disgruntled because of the dreams and her absence. Maybe it was the fact that he hated modeling that much that it made him turn into stone statue. The occupation wasn't filled with bright or happy moments for him. "I don't know," he replied.

She nodded. There wasn't anything else to say. She had a shoot with another female model in several minutes. "Are you going to watch the next one or get some rest or something?" She asked, trying to sound casual.

Shrugging, he took a sip of water from the bottle. "What do you want me to do, Orihime? You seem really unhappy with me at the moment, do you want me around?"

He was reading too much into things. Was he projecting his own feelings onto her? "I am not unhappy with you, I'm worried about you. I always want you around but I understand that sometimes people need a little space to think about whatever is on their minds, so I was merely making it clear that you have the option to take a break. You are not a fan, you don't work for me or anything so you are not obligated to sit around and do whatever. This is boring work sometimes. Oftentimes. Maybe you can take a walk around here and find some inspiration or something. I'm just trying to be helpful because you are clearly not yourself today."

"You're assuming things again," he told her. "I was a little upset to find you gone and I was a little upset about the dreams. I'm upset that Pauletto has a private photoshoot for us. I hate modeling and I hate agreeing to this but you're doing it. I want to be around you and if I don't do this then I can't do that. I don't want to hang around and be the crazy boyfriend who follows you everywhere."

He was not making much sense to her except that he was communicating clearly that he did not want to be doing this. "I'm sorry. I never should have allowed you to do this. I… I don't want you to be upset because of something I've done or because of something I've gotten you into," she started getting visibly upset at this point, her breathing a bit short and her brows pinched. "I'll talk to Pauletto. I'll get you out of it. You can go back to the hotel or whatever. Just don't be mad at me, okay?"

"I'm not mad at you and no!" Ulquiorra stated. He had a commitment to keep. If he wanted out of this he would talk to the designer himself. "Stop, calm down. Am I being too clingy? I know I can be too much at times. I want to watch you but-I don't know, Orihime."

"I have never thought you were clingy. If I ever do, I'll let you know." Orihime took a deep breath. "I am not happy when you are not around right now either. I know we dealt with Titus and that we are out in the middle of nowhere but Titus - although I hope to god he was the worst of them - is not the only obsessed weirdo following me on social media. Kurosaki is giving me the creeps. As long as I'm in front of a camera I feel kind of vulnerable. You make me feel safer. I want you here. I just don't want you to feel like I'm making you be here. We broke up before in large part because you were not happy doing this stuff."

He nodded. "Orihime, I'm not making a career out of this. It's my last time modeling ever because I don't ever plan on doing this again. I know you don't want to model for the rest of your life."

"I'm planning on retiring after this. I have my own show to focus on and after graduation I intend to pursue design full time. This was always just a gig to make some cash. When I first met you I was charging 2000 yen per hour. I was sitting for art students and doing runway for Quin. All this other stuff just kind of took me for a ride."

"Please tell me he's paying you for this," Ulquiorra said.

"Pauletto? Oh my god of course he is. There is no way I'd commit to something like this without a decent windfall. With the money I make from this job I'll be able to finish my collection and pay back Quin almost all the money I owe him from this year and last year at least."

Ulquiorra looked visibly relieved. "To be fair, I was willing to pay you a lot more than 2000 yen per hour."

She laughed. "I believe that the one time you did pay me, you paid me substantially more than that. However, I'm disappointed I've never actually seen the fruit of that work."

His face started getting hot. He had done nothing but looked at those photos of her on his computer. "You might see some of it soon, you never know," Ulquiorra said. "I mean, there's been plenty of fruit from it."

She didn't miss his sudden change in demeanor. "What do you mean, Cifer?" she said impishly. "Secret project?"

He shook his head, feeling his ears get hot. "No, I've… I've… you know..."

The grin on her face stretched painfully wide as she burst into a peal of giggles. "Oh my. Seriously? _Seriously? _ We have been together for much of that time," Her eyes were kind when they found his again, even though she hadn't gotten her giggles under control. This was breaking the tension she had let build up all morning.

Ulquiorra's normally pale complexion turned pink. "I've been jerking off to you a week before you even knew I was alive," he muttered, a scowl on his face.

She trained her face into a more serious expression. "Only that long? I am offended!" she said, laughing again. "Surely you had more than a chess piece to go by…. Oh wait, nevermind." she buttoned her lip and nodded. She didn't want to start thinking of all his little groupies and bar sluts and Emi Takahashis.

He rolled his eyes. "It was the outfit you modeled for Ishida's spring show. I've been doing it longer than that but I had proof you were still alive. Before I saw that photo of you, it was just a memory and my painting."

"Aw, I know I shouldn't find that so endearing but I do. My sweet little pervert. You dear, precious hentai of a man," she said, pushing her shoulder into his and looking up at him adoringly. "I have never been so flattered in my life. Also, did you really think I was dead?"

Ulquiorra nodded. "I didn't know what happened to you. I died, but before I did, I could feel Yammy below us. I didn't know if he had been defeated or not. When I saw Ishida's name and then the photo of you… I painted that picture of your ass."

She snort-laughed. "You couldn't even see my ass in that dress… I liked that one though. And that black one I bought after that that was similar. I got a lot of nice attention in that one. Maybe when we go back to Tokyo we should hit up Aquamarine again," she trailed off dreamily, then looked at him deadpan.

"I told you I watched the monitors in Los Noches. I knew what you looked like back then. I didn't have any interest in it at that point," Ulquiorra replied. "Why should we go to Aquamarine? Wanna fuck in one of the booths?"

"I mean I wouldn't necessarily be opposed…" she said, anticipating some retaliation from him. "I just thought maybe some dancing might help get you in the mood."

He gave her a blank stare. "Woman, I am in the mood. I am not in the mood to be caught with my dick in your mouth on a job. There's a difference."

"Yeah," she admitted and perked her head up as she heard her name being called from outside. "I guess I'm up."

"You want me to come watch or not?" Ulquiorra asked, standing. He was unsure whether or not to follow her. "I mean I want to watch you but, don't want to seem overbearing."

"Would you get that out of your head? You are not overbearing. I want you there. End of discussion and for the rest of the time we are here this directive stands unless I explicitly state otherwise. Understood, Espada?"

"Yes, my woman."

She nodded. "Good."

* * *

The rest of the day went fine. There were no more animals involved and Pauletto ran out of time and didn't have a chance to ask Ulquiorra and Orihime for the lingerie shoot that day, which suited them fine. They went back to the hotel on the first bus, arriving just after 7:00.

"Do you want to explore the city at all? It's kind of early. Otherwise we can just be lazy and snuggle, I'm good either way." Orihime suggested as they arrived in their room.

He had been on edge all day. Watching Orihime model was like watching poetry in motion. The redhead knew how to move and demand the attention of the camera. The artist didn't know if it was her appearance or the bitch vibe she was giving off but he found her attitude somewhat of a turn on. "We can go out but I'd much rather stay in with you. You owe me something, Madam."

Orihime raised her eyebrows, "Oh? And for what, praytell, am I indebted to your kind self, Sir?"

Ulquiorra tilted his head and smirked before he unbuttoned his jeans and unzipped them. He fell back onto the bed and looked at her. "Interested in finishing what you started?"

Orihime was simultaneously delighted and offended. "I had every intention of finishing the job, m'lord, but alas, I was ordered to stand down," she said, crossing her hands over her bosom and acting like the situation was out of her hands. "Have I been brought back to active duty, Sir?"

"Really?" he asked. Ulquiorra reached under the denim and into the boxers he wore all while looking at her. He started stroking himself. "If you want."

Orihime licked her lips, quickly warming up to the idea. She climbed up the foot of the bed until her knee was between his legs, dangerously close to her destination. She looked down at him with that bitchy modeling look, hollowing out her cheeks slightly and pouting her lips while narrowing her eyes ever so slightly. "Oh, I want," she said, standing up on the bed and straddling his chest facing his feet, then kneeling so her face was above his jeans and ass was hovering over his chest.

She didn't say anything else as she got to work pushing his jeans down to mid thigh and freeing his dick from the remainder of its confines, then sat up somewhat, stroking it and playing with it, not in a ridiculous way, just kind of pulling on it and letting it fall slightly before doing it again. It really was a pretty cock. Ulquiorra was full of himself though, so she wasn't going to tell him.

When his first bead of precum made its appearance she brought her head down to lick it off, using the flat of her tongue and lapping it up before moving her head back and forth in a figure eight pattern to swirl her tongue around his tip, letting the front and back of her tongue make contact.

He groaned. That was the only thing that he could do. Fuck. He had received a handful of blowjobs in his few short years in the world of the living. They were slowly becoming his favorite thing because Orihime was attempting them. He lifted his head but let it drop back onto the pillow because all he saw was Orihime's ass, tits and the little space between their bodies he could see her hand wrapped around him. "Woman," he moaned. "I want to do the same thing to you."

Ulquiorra brought his hands up to her thighs, running his fingers along them. With their difference in height his idea probably would not work.

Orihime only swallowed him and hummed in response. Because he curved slightly upward, at this angle she was able to take him more deeply into her mouth before it met with resistance from her hard palate. She started to fuck him with her mouth at a moderate pace, pressing her breasts into his stomach and inching her own hips slightly further toward his face as she became more comfortable with her position. She concentrated on using her lips more than her tongue to stimulate him, creating tension and dragging them up and pushing them down his shaft, taking care not to rake her upper teeth much over the sensitive underside of it.

But what she really enjoyed was lolling her tongue over the head and lapping up the fluids that seeped out of him, sucking it clean about every eight or nine strokes. Something about the taste of his semen was an aphrodisiac to her. It wasn't exactly pleasant but it wasn't distasteful either, and every taste she took left her wanting more. It made her feel like a goddess of sex, causing this reaction in him.

Ulquiorra dug his fingers into her thighs, trying to hold onto something. What she was doing was going to make him lose control. He didn't want to, not yet anyway. "Slow down, Hime," he panted, letting his hips roll upward. He felt for the waistband of her leggings and pulled them down as far as he could, letting a moan leave him as soon as he saw her wet folds exposed to him. He carefully reached for her, bending his neck as far as it would so that he could slide his tongue against that skin.

She whimpered with him still in her mouth, slowing slightly per his request. She didn't think what he was doing was a possibility.

It was just the tip of his tongue. He couldn't bury his face into her like he wanted to do but this was good. He could use his fingers to help him out. "You taste good, Woman," he murmured then gasped as she did something with her tongue that made his hips buck.

She whined as he caused her to nearly gag, then let him pop out of her mouth and answered him in a breathy voice, "So do you," before engulfing him again. Her own hips began to move slightly, searching for contact on their own accord.

He gave a chuckle as his fingers found her clit, rubbing the skin there gently. Ulquiorra then let his palm rest against her so she could grind against him that way. Just watching how her hips were moving was almost enough to tell her to stop and just fuck him into oblivion. He said nothing though. If she wanted to do this, he was more than happy to let her.

This was perfect. He was going to let her get them both off at her own pace, it seemed. She rubbed herself on his hand, her pace increasing again. The hand not wrapped around his cock came into play, stroking his testicles and perineum gently. The exertion was causing her breath to come faster and rougher, her vocal cords vibrating and adding to the experience. As she got closer to her own climax, those muffled pants became more erratic.

Ulquiorra helped out, moving his hand against her. He wanted to do more but with her actions, it was hard to focus on anything. He groaned again. "Orihime, I'm going to-" He couldn't even finish his sentence that's how wrapped up he was feeling. The wet warm sensation of her mouth and tongue. The way her hands moved on his balls. It felt so good. All the tension that he held in his body would soon disappear if she kept it up.

She was so close. She waited until she felt the first crackle of static that announced her impending orgasm and then charged, taking Ulquiorra's cock as deep as she could, sucking on it like a straw while stroking what couldn't fit with her hand, cupping his balls and squeezing carefully while pressing her fingertips into his perineum with delicate pressure. She heard him choke and got ready to swallow his release.

He growled and thrust into her mouth, feeling his entire body pulse with the orgasm that ripped through him. "Fuck!" He cried out, his free hand grabbing her ass. He could feel the woman on top of him swallowing around his cock.

The first jet of cum hit the back of her throat in a pressurized stream, hitting her uvula and triggering her gag reflex, which only caused him to jerk his hips further into her mouth again. She held on and took his seed, swallowing the viscous fluid again and again as he emptied into her throat.

After his body stopped twitching, Ulquiorra lay there on the bed, trying to breathe. That was an amazing and intense orgasm. He tried to lift his head up but didn't have the strength. "Holy shit," he uttered.

Orihime slowly released him, letting him slide out of her mouth, then wiped her lips with the back of her hand and just collapsed on top of him, her nose nestled in his pubic hair, eyes closed and jaw aching. It had been quite an effort on her part, but by all indications her fiancé had thoroughly enjoyed it. Truth be told, despite the exhaustion and aching cheeks she enjoyed it too.

"Sorry," he mumbled, still slightly out of breath still.

"For what?" she mumbled through lazy lips. "There was nothing about that to be sorry for. I told you you were delicious."

Ulquiorra lifted his head slightly and looked at her. "I didn't get you off. Kinda reminds me of that time you uh, slept over."

"So make up for it later," she said, then whined, "I still have to take a bath," before she rolled off the bed. "If I don't come out after fifteen minutes it means I passed out and drowned in there."

Ulquiorra watched her as she walked towards the bathroom, "I might join you," he replied.

"Okay," she smiled back at him. "I like it really hot though."

Sitting up, Ulquiorra stared at his woman starting from her feet and went all the way up to her face. "You are really hot," he said, smirking. "Might be fun to fuck in a tub though."

"Might be, if I hadn't just completely destroyed you," she said with a wicked smile. "I think you may be out of commission for days." There was an unspoken challenge in her voice.

He raised an eyebrow. Ulquiorra stood and instantly was beside her, in the next second Orihime was pinned against the wall with his body. "Really?" he asked, voice low. "You know how good I can make you feel. I know how to turn you on and how to make you come with my mouth, fingers and cock. I can destroy you just as bad."

He had caught her off-guard. She was speechless, looking into his eyes like a rabbit caught by a fox. Her cheeks colored and her breath hitched. All he had done was speak and she was already a puddle. She whimpered and nodded, unable to look away.

Ulquiorra leaned down until he was at eye level with Orihime. He put his mouth next to her ear and did not say anything for a moment. He just stood there, breathing. "So pick your poison, Princess. Which one do you want tonight? I could go down on you and lick you. I could make you get off all over my hand. I could fuck you over and over until you've made the bed and me wet."

She was already starting to breathe shallowly, almost panting. "What would you do to me if I asked you to touch me?" she whispered, wanting to hear him more.

His hand came up to cup her face, his fingers stayed there briefly before moving lower. "You want me to touch you? How? You want me to be the charming, gentle suitor who makes love to you?" Ulquiorra let his knuckles trace her throat and ghost over her collarbones. "You want me to slide my cock inside of you slowly, giving you every inch I can? You know I can make you moan and whimper and scream, Orihime."

She was supremely turned on. Every breath on her skin felt like fire, she was hypersensitive to his touch. She wilted slightly at his words, his voice low and thick. "I know you can." She gasped a breath before feeling somewhat daring, asking, "What do you want to do to me? Do you like how my skin feels under your hands? How my wet pussy clings to your cock? Do you like the way I feel on your lips? How I taste? Tell me what you desire, Ulquiorra." She hissed the question, completely wound up in the moment, unable to take a normal breath or stand on her own two feet without his weight pushing her against the wall.

Ulquiorra knew what she was trying to do. It wouldn't work. She wouldn't be able to throw him off of his game. He grabbed the hem of her sweatshirt and pulled it off. He wanted to rip her bra off of her too but he had a bit of restraint. "I think you want to be fucked hard, bent over something. Just like that night in that club. You were so wet and dripping for me. I want to bury myself inside of you while touching every inch of you I can. I want to feel your curves against me." He moved so that he could look at her before he kissed her roughly, pinning her wrists above her head.

It was all she could do not to cry out. She whimpered through her nose as he kissed her, her core absolutely throbbing for him. When he finally broke the kiss, she begged. Her voice came out in a soft, pleading, cry, "Fuck me, please. I can't stand it. Please," her voice constricted and she bit her lip, her glassy eyes becoming heavy with lust.

Letting her go, Ulquiorra smiled at her. "Let's get you cleaned up first and then I will fuck your brains out."

* * *

A/N Thanks for reading! What do you think is next?


	43. Chapter 43

**WARNING: MATURE CONTENT**

**Chapter 43: Sexfest 3000**

Ulquiorra was back in Tokyo after a sex-filled but exhausting week of modeling with Orihime. Their private photoshoot with Pauletto and a photographer had gone off without a hitch. The two items that Ulquiorra modeled were well-made pieces. The "bra" that Pauletto had given Orihime had barely covered the woman's chest and was really more of a scrap of material with strings to tie around her neck and back. That top with the skimpy underwear… It took everything that Ulquiorra had to not fuck her during that session.

Pauletto had taken a lot of shots of him and Orihime together and alone. Ulquiorra hoped that they had the same chemistry as the first time Markus photographed them together. Things had changed a lot between him and Orihime since that first pose.

The designer had shown him several shots before he left to return home. Ulquiorra didn't really like the provocative nature of how the man had told him to pose or how the clothing outlined each hard plane of his body. It was almost indecent. Pauletto told him not to worry because there was a chance that he may never use the shots.

Once he landed at the airport, he texted Orihime.

_\- I miss you. I'll be at the apartment soon. Fuck waiting for the train._

It was the truth. As soon as he kissed her goodbye, he already started missing her. It couldn't be helped. Hirano had set up that interview and he had to get started on working up that idea of doing the limited edition prints.

Orihime laughed when she read Ulquiorra's text, which was a much needed dose of humor. She had been moping since he left. She replied right away.

_-I miss you too. A LOT. Get some work done and I'll see you in a couple days. I love you. _

The rest of her shoot in Mongolia was boring without him to entertain her, except that she did get to hold a falcon on the last day. She sent Ulquiorra a selfie of her with it, together with a message that read:

_-I'm sorry… I'm thinking of leaving you for this handsome fella ;)_

He saw the text before he saw the picture, but when he opened his text messages and saw the bird, Ulquiorra couldn't blame her. It was a pretty and dangerous-looking animal. He didn't like animals that much.

_\- Ask Pauletto if you can keep that outfit from the private photoshoot. ;) Also nice bird._

He was teasing her but that was only because he had things to deal with. Hirano had managed to schedule a lot for him to do, which pushed back the interview with the blogger, J. Itoh. When Ulquiorra asked why his assistant would choose that snobby critic over any other journalist, Hirano had shrugged.

_\- When does your plane land? Feel like doing another interview but this time with me?_

She was in the airport when she got his message.

_-In about 16 hours. I'll do an interview with you for sure. No way anyone can "divide and conquer" us if we are in the same place, eh?_

Sighing, Ulquiorra nodded. She was right. Still, the past couple days had been rough on him. He hadn't gotten much done because he kept thinking about her. Most of the time he lay in her bed when Hirano wasn't running him ragged.

_\- Too long to wait! It's just J. Itoh, not really a big name in journalism but at this point, we need to come out with something that shows that bitch that she's nothing but trash._

Orihime smiled at that.

_-I'm ready to throw down. I will fight her if I have to, lol. What kind of weapons would she choose for a duel do you think? Flatirons? Stilettos? Lol. I'll be home soon. I have two days before Nikko and then I'll be there two more days and then I am DONE MODELING!_

She boarded her plane and played a game on her phone, waiting to get the hell home.

He shook his head at her text. Ulquiorra was glad that Orihime was done modeling but he couldn't help but feel that maybe he was the reason she was stopping. He knew it wasn't her passion in life but still-No, his brain was just telling him things. Things he shouldn't listen to.

_\- IDK? She would probably try to stab you with a pen? Yui would definitely use stilettos tho. You still want me to go to Nikko with you?_

Orihime got his message before the flight crew told her to turn off her phone. She laughed and replied:

_-lol. She would. Yes! Please come if you're not booked or too tired. About to take off in a few minutes so if I don't reply that's why. I'll see you in the morning! 3_

He would tell her when he went to meet her at the airport his decision about the trip to Nikko. Ulquiorra knew he would go up there with her.

* * *

Sixteen hours later he stood inside of the airport waiting for Orihime. He probably had another hour of waiting to do depending on all the stuff she had to go through like customs and baggage claims. He sipped on the too hot and too old coffee he had bought with a grumpy look on his face.

Orihime saw him first when she came out of the secure area of the airport. Damn, he was cute. She tried to hide behind some other people, masking her spiritual pressure, until she was almost right in front of him. Then she dropped her bags and pounced, careful not to knock the coffee out of his hands. "I'm home!"

It was a good thing he saw the blur of coppery hair before she jumped on him. He moved the half-drunk coffee out of the way so neither of them could spill it. "I see that. If you want to be a ninja, you need to hide your hair," Ulquiorra said, giving her a peck on the lips.

She kissed him back and shook her head. "Dang, I thought I was being sneaky. Let's get out of here."

"You want to take the train or can I just do my little trick once we get outside?" Ulquiorra thought for a moment. "We could get a cab, it'd be expensive but I think you're worth it."

"Whoa, you missed me that much? It's only been a couple of days," she smiled and touched the tip of her nose to his. "Whatever you want. I just want to be with you."

He opened his mouth to reply but found that he had nothing to say. She had rendered him speechless. He looked at Orihime, feeling overwhelmed by how much he had missed her and how much he affection he felt for her. "I used flash step to get here. We can use it to get back home," he said.

She nodded and grabbed her duffel bag and put it across her body like a backpack as they walked outside.

Once they got away from most of the crowd, Ulquiorra grabbed her by the waist and said, "Hang on." It took him only five minutes before they were in front of Orihime's apartment building. The green-eyed man was a bit winded but going great distances in a short amount of time did this to him.

Orihime had buried her face in the crook of his neck, not only to shield it from windburn but to give Ulquiorra the visibility he needed. When he stopped she slowly brought her face up and let go of him, sliding down his body until her feet touched the ground. "You're getting faster," she commented.

His gaze shifted over to her and smiled. "I don't know about that. When I first used it I thought it was like doing a Sonido. It's not. Flash step is totally different."

"Oh yeah? How so?" She had no frame of reference.

"I'm not really sure of all the ways but I know that trying to use flash step like a Sonido is exhausting," he said with a laugh. "Sonido could be used over long distances. I can't do that with flash step."

"Oh! I'm sorry, we could have taken a cab… but honestly I like traveling in your arms," Orihime said, unlocking the door. "While I'm home I need to make you a set of keys. I know we only have a couple more months here but I don't want you getting stranded. It's cold out these days."

Ulquiorra shrugged. He'd been bothering Ishida to be let in the apartment. "Ishida has been letting me use his key. He's been staying with some guy, I guess. I hate bothering him though. Makes me seem like a stray cat."

"What? Wow. What kind of best friend am I that I don't even know that he has a new boyfriend?" Orihime said with a concerned look on her face. Had she been so wrapped up in her own business that she didn't pay attention to the other man in her life?

"I don't know if it's a new guy but he seemed… interested in him when he walked into the place at the school." Ulquiorra looked at her and smiled. "Don't beat yourself up. Ishida deserves hot sex or whatever after what we've all been through. He helped with that hollow and everything."

"Oh I don't begrudge him anything, I just feel like I've been ignoring him. You're right though, it's kind of justified this time. Besides, come to think about it, I don't even think he knows about us, and, you know, the whole engagement thing."

Ulquiorra frowned. "I'm sure he knows we're back together, of course, but-" he stopped for a moment to think. No, he hadn't said anything to Ishida about the engagement. Had he told Kurosaki? Yeah, he practically shoved Orihime's hand into the shinigami's face. "Shit. We never told him. Wouldn't Kurosaki open his big mouth and blab about it to all of your old friends?"

"Hmm," Orihime thought about it for a moment. "I mean, obviously I don't know Kurosaki as well as I once thought, so it's only a guess, but I think he might still be in denial. He texted me again after you left. I ignored it but he seems to be trying to get my attention, after I specifically told him to give me some space," She sighed. "At least the begging and invitations and inappropriate selfies have stopped."

"Inappropriate selfies? What kind of selfies?" Ulquiorra asked, giving Orihime a concerned look. "Do I need to go find that orange-haired bastard?"

"Uh, use your imagination," she said, "I started deleting any message from him with an attachment a long time ago."

The thought that Orihime had seen that dickhead's penis rankled and rubbed him the wrong way. "So you've seen his dick?"

"Not in real life! Ew. And not like, in gruesome detail either. Like I said, once he started getting weird I just started deleting his messages without reading them on principle when they had attachments. Come to think of it, I think I never did see it… I let Quin screen his messages for awhile. I think _he _saw it. Oh how he laughed."

"That's not the fucking point, Orihime. The fact that your friend has tried on numerous occasions to get with you while you have a man is unacceptable."

"To be fair, this all started before we met, like, several months before we met. I shot him down then. But it's why I keep telling you, he is _not_ my friend. Sometimes he is an ally, but not a friend. But even when Quin and I were acting confused around each other we didn't give each other the creeps like Kurosaki does," she said, dropping her duffel bag inside her bedroom door and going back to the living room.

He sighed. "Still, he doesn't care if you have me or not. Just thinking about what that fuckhead said to me when we were testing my powers-It makes me want to take you straight to city hall and give you my name." Ulquiorra could feel his spiritual pressure starting to spike. He wanted Kurosaki to get the message that Orihime was in no way, shape, or form available.

"Oh? And which name do you intend to give me?" she asked, highly amused by Ulquiorra's territoriality.

"Which one do you want? By all legal means you'd be Murcielago Orihime but to me, you would be Cifer."

She blushed at that, smiling shyly and looking to the ground near her left side. "I don't mind Murcielago, but…" she was overcome with bashfulness for some reason. She sucked her lips into her mouth and took a seat, folding her legs under her on the sofa and picking at the arm of it.

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow. What was wrong? "But what?" he asked. "You want to have Cifer instead?"

She looked up at him with a little smile and then back down to the sofa arm, her ears turning pink as she admitted, "Well, it's more familiar… I mean, I didn't write down "Murcielago Orihime" in my notes while I was daydreaming in classes in high school… I mean college… I mean-" She stopped herself and buried her head in the throw pillow. She was such a dork. She couldn't stand herself sometimes.

He sat down beside her and looked at her. For some reason Ulquiorra wanted to tease her mercilessly. "You could have said something while my prisoner. I probably would have looked at you like you had seven heads but you should have said something. Even after I was dead?"

She whined and nodded, face still solidly adhered to the plush surface of the pillow.

It was time to tell her the truth. "All the documents I have for me say Ulquiorra Cifer but I did not want that name attached to me, so I came up with that stupid C. Murcielago. It's an alias. If we get married then people will just assume you're Murcielago's wife, not Cifer's wife."

Her eyes popped up from the surface of the pillow and found his, and she said in a muffled voice, "Really? So I could be Cifer Orihime?" there was a wide smile hidden under that pillow. "I can deal with the public not knowing that, as long as I do."

"You can?" Ulquiorra asked. "Do you want to?" He asked this question out of the need to protect what he thought was his.

She was a little confused about what he was asking. "Do I want to take your name? Yes. Of course I do."

"No, do you want to get married… Before we go up to Nikko? Can we get married that quickly?"

It felt like her breath had been stolen. It took a few attempts to find her voice. "We could, but we'd need two witnesses."

Ulquiorra racked his brain for two people that could do that. He would have said the Novelist, but Theobald Crofton was dead. If he asked Hirano, she would most likely murder him in an unholy way. If they asked Quin, the man would bitch because he wasn't told about this sooner. "I'm coming up empty," he said then shook his head. "I just want you to be mine and I want Kurosaki to realize he fucked up."

She smirked at him. So that's what this was all about. "Well, don't worry about the former. I am definitely yours. Kurosaki will find that out soon enough. Besides, if he wasn't deterred by the ring on my finger I wonder what it will take for him to figure it out. A white dress? I don't know. I don't know if I want to do a big wedding either… I don't even have anyone to invite besides Quin."

"You think I have a ton of people to invite? Do you want me to invite Takahashi and Yui so you can prance by them and bitch slap them?" Ulquiorra laughed. "It's just you and me… and Quin. I owe him a drink."

Orihime laughed. "Why do you owe him a drink?"

"The thing with the training. Those people in Karakura," Ulquiorra said. "He helped me get to Russia as fast as I could. I also was a dick to him about being a friend. Though, to be honest, I didn't think we were friends because all I hear from him is scolding, complaining and bitching about how I dress. I know that's Quin."

"Ah, but you see, it's not just that it's him; that's how you know he really is your friend. He doesn't hold back when he considers you a friend." She held Ulquiorra's gaze for a moment and then her vision went inward, thinking about the future. "So, Quin will be a witness for us eventually, you know. He would be crushed if we didn't ask him."

Ulquiorra nodded. He figured that. "Uh, I can ask Hirano," he said. "She's like the sibling I never asked for. When I told her I was going to Nikko with you, she just rolled her eyes, like saying, "not again", or something."

"She probably just thinks you are going for Sexfest 3000 or whatever. I mean, you saw the pictures. All of our pictures. The Markus ones. The Instagram ones. The proofs from Pauletto. I am pretty much eyefucking you in all of them."

"I'm doing the same thing in them," he said. Ulquiorra leaned over to give her a kiss then pulled back. "I get jealous; you know this. I can't help it. I lost you once to him. I won't let it happen again."

Orihime understood. "I don't blame you, I would feel the same way. I _do_ feel the same way, and I don't even have as good of an excuse. Emi and Yui and all your little fangirls can fuck off as far as I'm concerned," she muttered as she traced the bracelet around his wrist. "I'm going to have to get you some new jewelry."

"What, another bracelet for the other wrist so you can chain them together and tie me to the bed?" Ulquiorra smirked at her. "All the women before you don't matter. They never mattered to me."

"I know, but still… I can tell you all day long that I don't care about Kurosaki and that's not going to make you any more comfortable with him. And as far as another bracelet goes, why would I bother buying another one for such a tawdry purpose when I have a perfectly good set of fur-lined handcuffs under my bed? I am a frugal person, you know. Waste not want not."

His mouth about hit the floor. "You little minx," Ulquiorra said. "Maybe we can try them out later. But on the subject of Asshole, you can say that to me for the rest of your life, but Kurosaki will still be interested in you."

"Maybe I'll grow ugly. We can only hope," she said with a laugh. "But seriously, I hope he just finds someone else and loses interest."

"We tried that; Yui's still trying to hang on me," he pointed out.

"She's obviously not the right girl for him. He can't stay interested in me forever."

Ulquiorra scoffed and looked at her. "Woman, you don't know anything do you? Even if you never found me again, I would have looked for you forever. Kurosaki may never want to let you go. You were president of his fanclub when I met you."

Orihime pursed her lips and shook her head. "That doesn't mean anything. He only saw me as a means to an end, then. A damsel to rescue so he could look like a hero. A healing item. A human shield. He only noticed me as a woman when I started modeling and started attracting attention. Maybe now that I'm retiring he'll lose interest."

"I just want him to leave you alone. I want him to act like a friend to you and not some douche." Ulquiorra reached over and pulled her into his lap. "What kind of jewelry were you going to get me?"

"A ring, of course," she said with a half smile.

A ring? Why would she get him a ring? Ulquiorra looked puzzled with his eyebrows knitted together and a frown.

Her smile spread across the rest of her face as she pulled her phone out of her pocket. He was cute when he was confused. She pulled up an article on the internet about wedding rings and sent it to his phone, then grabbed the remote control for the television and reclined against him, letting her head rest against the crook of his elbow and her body lie across his lap, her legs stretched out to the other side of the sofa, as she absently started flipping through television channels.

Ulquiorra looked at her before he pulled his phone out of his pocket and read the article. Occasionally while reading, his eyebrow would go up because he read something interesting or he would frown while mulling over something. "I have to buy another ring for you?" he finally asked.

"We could just buy a pair set and be done with it," she murmured noncommittally.

"That seems generic. Do you want another ring? A simple one? A big flashy one?" Ulquiorra was becoming more and more confused.

"I would like a tiny one. One with no stones or frills or decorations. One I could wear without worrying about damaging it regardless of where or what I was doing."

Ulquiorra was already looking through pictures of rings on his phone while she was preoccupied with the television. He thumbed past probably a hundred or more rings before he sighed. "I would be happy with whatever," he said. "When I bought that one you're wearing, I just listened to them list things off and decided what would fit you."

She smiled up at him. "You chose well. I love this ring." She looked back to the television. "I want to design a ring for you, though. Nothing too extravagant; I don't want you to feel like you have to take it off when you're working or whatever, but I want it to be personal."

"I wouldn't take it off anyway. I never take my bracelet off," Ulquiorra told her.

That pleased her. "You know, we wouldn't even need them right away. Maybe as an anniversary present or something. We're not traditional people; we don't have to follow traditional customs," she said with a self-satisfied laugh.

He gasped as if scandalized. "The woman who yells at people when they don't take their shoes off would go against tradition? Someone call the media," he laughed. Ulquiorra smiled at her, even if it was only the top of her head he was looking at. "Like I said, I would be happy to wear whatever you decide on and do whatever you see fit to do."

"Okay," she said, just as the front door opened.

"Oh, you're home," Ishida said, somewhat surprised. "Uh, welcome back."

Ulquiorra turned his head and looked at the Quincy. "She let me in," he said, pointing at the woman.

"Hi Quin!" Orihime said, raising her arm to wave at him but being altogether too lazy to greet him properly. "I rode a horse and held a falcon. Am I cool enough to be a Quincy now?"

Ishida tsked at her. "Oh really nice, Hime. We haven't really seen each other in weeks and all I get is a status update and a lame wave? And no, you can't be a Quincy, it's genetic."

"Sorry. I just got off a plane a few hours ago so I'm kinda tired."

"Fine. Anyway, I'm glad you're back. You going to leave again in a few days, right?"

"Yep, Ulquiorra is coming too."

"Good. I hoped you would both be gone. Kurosaki asked to put up one of his sisters up for a few days for a college tour but I can guess that means he will tag along. We don't need any awkwardness do we?"

"Why can't he spring for a room somewhere?" Ulquiorra muttered. "Cheap bastard."

"Yeah, well, if it was his other sister, I'd say no, but it's Yuzu, and she is god's gift to humanity. It's a good thing you're getting Cifer out of here, Boo. She would steal his heart and add it to her collection."

Orihime shook her head.

"Hardly," Ulquiorra stated. "I doubt anyone could steal me away from Orihime. Especially not a Kurosaki spawnling."

Orihime laughed. "I haven't seen Yuzu in a long time. She _is_ very sweet. Has she filled out at all?"

"Hmm, well, I may be gay but even I can appreciate a nice round ass. She's not as gifted as you upstairs, though, Boo."

Ulquiorra was glad he was sitting down. He glared at Ishida and then at Orihime. "It doesn't matter, just keep them out of our room. Oh, Ishida… You might want to sit down. We have something to tell you."

Quin's expression grew suspicious, but he did as directed, sitting on a stool at the island that separated the kitchen from the living room. "What is it?"

"Go ahead, Orihime, tell him," Ulquiorra said.

Quin's expression grew dark. "What did you do to her, Cifer," he growled.

Ulquiorra sighed and shook his head. "She needs to tell you," he said. "I didn't do anything to her."

"It's not what you're thinking! Ulquiorra and I are engaged," she said in a small voice, holding up her left hand. She didn't expect a supportive response.

"Oh, pfew!" Ishida said in very relieved tone, bending over and exhaling loudly. "Thank god! I wasn't ready to be 'Uncle Quin' yet."

"Uncle Quin?" Ulquiorra asked. Was Ishida implying that he had been expecting a pregnancy announcement? "I assure you that there will be nothing like that for a couple of years. She's on birth control."

"Maybe a little longer…" Orihime said as an aside, then refocused. "You're okay with this though?" she asked, pointing to the ring.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be? You are clearly in love with him. He is _starting_ to prove himself worthy. You look amazing together, and as shallow and superficial as I am, that is a big selling point for me," he laughed. "But seriously, you two, congratulations. You've got something special."

Orihime couldn't say anything, she was too choked up. She sniffled a bit from her seat and then got up and nearly climbed into Ishida's lap, throwing her arms around his neck and sniffling into his chest, saying thank you a few times.

Ishida could only look down at her bewildered, and at Ulquiorra apologetically, as he patted her back and said "there there, it's alright, Hime. Calm down."

The green-eyed man shook his head. "We were expecting you to be against this," Ulquiorra explained. "Kurosaki didn't seem to believe us when we told him."

Uryu gave Ulquiorra a withering look. "No shit; you're taking her off the market. And he thinks _he's_ the chosen one. He probably thinks you two will break up anyway."

Orihime pulled away from Ishida. "We will not!" she scolded.

"I didn't say you would. I'm saying what I think he thinks. He doesn't talk to me much these days unless he needs something."

"So will you be a witness for this thing? We're not sure what we want to do but Orihime says we need two people to watch us get married." Ulquiorra looked at the Quincy with a neutral expression.

"Well, technically, I just have to watch you stamp the document and then add my own seal along with the other witness and then you take it to city hall. Wait, are you thinking about doing this right away?"

"Well, maybe. I mean, the only reason not to would be because we have doubts, or we wanted to have a ceremony close to the time we did the paperwork, but we're not going to do a ceremony, right?" Orihime said, sitting down next to Ulquiorra again.

Ulquiorra shrugged. He knew nothing about human stuff like this. "We will do whatever Orihime wants to do. I have no opinion in the matter at the moment."

"Okay… well, I…" Ishida sighed.

"What is it, Quin?" Orihime asked, worried about his apparent troubles.

"I just always thought you'd look so beautiful in a white dress, Hime. I mean, back in the day, I always imagined I was going to be the one to marry you, so it's kind of weird to think about it now, but-"

"You what?!" Orihime said, shocked. She felt like she had been slapped by this revelation.

"Well, yeah, I mean, before I figured out that I wasn't romantically attracted to women, I always assumed that I would follow the norm… And I always thought if I got married it would be to you; you were the only person I cared enough about."

Ulquiorra snorted. Not romantically attracted to women but sexually attracted to _his _woman. He rolled his eyes. "Well aren't we all glad that you're not getting married to her. It's her choice."

Ishida rolled his eyes. "It's her choice, obviously, but it's my choice too. I don't want to marry her. No offense, Boo, but it would be wrong on so many levels. You are like a family member to me now."

Orihime smiled at him. "None taken," she said with a small laugh.

Once again, Ulquiorra had to bite his tongue. He looked at Orihime. "So now all we need to do is ask Hirano and hope she doesn't strangle me," he said.

"Are you sure you want to do this now? I mean, it just feels rushed."

"It's not really," Orihime said. "It's been a few weeks."

"Like I said, rushed." Uryu said with a firm voice and firmer expression. "Oh and thanks a lot for telling fucking Kurosaki before me. I see how I rate," he complained.

"Kurosaki was practically trying to fuck her, so I kinda shoved her ring in his face!" Ulquiorra countered.

The thought of that amused the Quincy. He laughed quietly through his nose despite trying to maintain the facade of being offended. "I would have paid money to see that. Please tell me the next time you are going to be in the same place as him. It sounds like comedy gold."

Ulquiorra huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "See what I mean?" he muttered to Orihime.

"Ah, don't be like that, Cifer. I'm on your side. I will be your witness, of course. I would do anything for you, Hime. And I guess I would do you some favors too, Espada. But you better promise me that I get to be godfather to your firstborn. No exceptions!"

Orihime clammed up. Kids were a sore subject between her and Ulquiorra. She didn't want to say a word.

He felt her stiffen slightly. Shit. Ishida didn't know what eggshells he was stepping on. With a sigh, Ulquiorra nodded, "Fine. You'll be the first to know when we decide to reproduce."

Orihime put on a small fake smile and nodded. "Yep," was all she said.

Quin didn't miss the tension. He was wise enough to not mention it. "Alright. When are you going to do this? Do you want me to pick up the form for you? I go past City Hall on my way to school later."

Ulquiorra nodded. "I would appreciate it. Orihime?"

"Yes," she answered. This was starting to finally feel real to her, and she was starting to feel overwhelmed. Up until now, it was all a big romantic gesture that felt like a distant dream but Ulquiorra seemed intent to do this _now._ It was real. She was going to be a wife. The thought kind of scared her. She didn't know what it meant; would things change between them? Would it simply be a matter of status? Would Ulquiorra the husband be different than Ulquiorra the boyfriend? She needed a second to think. "Excuse me, I have to, um," she looked at the bathroom and got up, closing herself inside.

His eyes followed her and Ulquiorra's face was etched with concern. He sighed and then glanced at the other man. "Do you think she is okay?"

"Yeah, I mean, you guys didn't eat anything weird, right?" Uryu replied, kind of turned off by Ulquiorra's interest in Orihime's bathroom habits.

"I know I've not eaten anything weird. Maybe it's just nerves," he commented. He waved a hand to dismiss the matter. "Is Kurosaki coming to stay with his sibling?"

"No, I don't think he'll stay much if Orihime isn't here. He might though. Any message you'd like me to pass?"

Ulquiorra shrugged. "Tell him to go fuck himself," he said in a monotone voice.

Orihime stood in front of the mirror, staring at herself. Her face looked older than it should at twenty-three. Twenty-three. It seemed perhaps too young to get married, to her. She always thought if it happened, she'd be closer to thirty. She took a deep breath and held it for a minute, scraping her teeth across her lower lip. Was that all that was bothering her? That it felt like the timing was off?

She sat on the closed toilet and stared at her ring. She knew her heart belonged to Ulquiorra. That was not the issue. Maybe Quin was right. Maybe she wanted to wear a dress. She tried to imagine it.

No. That wasn't it. She had already worn a white dress for Ulquiorra in Hueco Mundo. She would do it again one day, perhaps, but it wasn't a priority.

It occurred to her that she didn't know what Ulquiorra expected from her as a wife. She thought about her expectations would be from him as a husband. As she did, her nerves began to calm down.

That was it. They hadn't talked about this yet. It wouldn't do to just jump into this marriage thing without knowing what it meant to each of them. As soon as she could, she would bring it up, she decided, huffing out the breath she had been partially holding and returning to the living room with an improved expression.

"Feeling better?" Ishida asked.

"Yes. Please pick up the paperwork if you don't mind. I need to borrow Ulquiorra for a bit, though," she said, tilting her head toward the bedroom.

Ulquiorra's eyebrows shot up and he smiled. Had she missed him that much? "As you wish," he said, standing up and following her to their room.

Once then got inside, Orihime shut the door and leaned against it, slowly bringing her eyes to his. "We need to talk."

Oh, this wasn't a sexy time need to borrow him. This was an ambush. "We do?" he asked, slightly confused and put out. "About what? Aren't things good between us?"

"Things are great between us. But they are about to change, and I need to make sure we have some kind of understanding before we jump headfirst into being married. Until now I kind of thought about it in nebulous terms, but now that it's immediate… I feel kind of worried about what it actually means. What do you expect? What do I expect? Will anything change? That kind of thing. Marriage isn't something to take lightly, you know?"

He blinked several times. Her words weren't really sinking in. "Orihime, I'm not understanding you. What do you mean what do I expect? Why would things change?"

"Well I don't know… I know you're not exactly a typical man, and I hope you don't expect me to sit around at home cleaning up your filth while you go out and party it up as you please, but some men expect some kind of subservience. I do not wish to put myself in that kind of position. I don't expect you would want me to, either, so that's really not the point…" she sighed. She wasn't good at expressing concepts like this. She pinched her eyes shut and tried her best to convey what she was trying to get across. "I don't know what you want from a wife. Is it different than what you want from a girlfriend?"

Her explanation did not help him out at all. He was still bewildered about this subject. "Orihime, the only thing that will change between us is that you'll have my name. I mean why should things change just because we're married? Why would I expect anything out of you? If we're together, we're partners, right? It's not me versus you, this is supposed to be a team effort." Ulquiorra turned and plopped down on the end of the bed. "What do you expect out of me?"

"I just want to be sure we are on the same page. What Quin said about the white dress kind of freaked me out. I imagined what it would be like, if I had been marrying someone like him. I would not like it, I think. He would have expectations that I would resent." She sighed, letting her shoulders drop, and approached Ulquiorra. "You mean what you say, don't you?" It wasn't really a question, more her just confirming her own ideas. "Because that's all I want. A partner. This is the right thing for us. Stupid conventions and Quin confusing me with them," she smiled then, and exhaled, releasing the tension she'd been holding. "I missed you."

"You know me, I am a no frills man. I don't see the point in a lavish ceremony. I don't expect anything to change between us and if they do, I hope it's for the better. Orihime, I'm the same Ulquiorra you knew back then, well, somewhat, but I am the guy who takes everything at face value. I mean what I say." He pulled her into his lap, squeezing her in a hug. "We are not conventional, so I'm not following those stupid rules and traditions."

She hugged him back. "Good. Neither am I, except the whole monogamy thing. That's a hard and fast rule for me. You think you are jealous? You don't know jealousy," she giggled.

He rolled his eyes. "You think I got women just waiting in the shadows? I don't," Ulquiorra said. He frowned for a moment. "I promised you brand loyalty and you've had it. The only time I've screwed up on that is during our break where you said I should, you know."

"Well, if that was a test, you failed, big time. But it wasn't a test. I had considered us all but over. I don't have the … Ability? Maturity? I don't know. I don't have whatever you have that could let you be separated like we were and still consider us attached."

A sigh left Ulquiorra. "Woman, if you go back through the years, I can guarantee that almost every woman I have had some kind of intimate interaction with either had red hair or huge tits. I was trying to-To-" he stopped to think of what he wanted to say in a non-asshole way. "I only did it because I missed you and I figured if I could get someone who kind of looked like you it'd take away the pain I felt where it concerned you."

"Did it work?"

"Before I met you again? Sure, sometimes. The one time I tried it after I met you? You know how that went. My body and mind said no, you're going to deal with this in a semi-healthy way."

She nodded. She didn't know anything about it and it wouldn't be fair to try to compare herself to him. "Is it weird that you've been with literally hundreds of women and I've only slept with you?"

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow. If he thought about it and the tables were turned where she had a harem of men behind her and he had been the virgin, he would probably have left a trail of bodies stemming from jealous rages. He shrugged. "If I could take it all back I would, I would have gone to Karakura and found you but, what would have happened then? Maybe I wouldn't have been ready for you or I would have been too hollow-like for you. I was pretty much a carbon copy of the Espada version of me when I woke up."

"Well, it's no use wondering what might have been, anyway. I'm pretty pleased with what is," she said, leaning in for a kiss.

"To be honest, I think I would have hurt you more if I had met you sooner."

She paused and nodded a bit. "Well, timing is everything. There are a lot of _if_s. If Kurosaki had returned my feelings when I was sixteen… If Ishida wasn't gay… If I met you again too soon. None of it matters, because it didn't happen that way. The only truth is sitting here on this bed right now, don't you think?"

Ulquiorra nodded also. "If I came back to life and you were with that loser I would have fought him. I would have challenged him to a fight," he said with a faint smile.

"Good old-fashioned fisticuffs?" Orihime smiled.

"Probably. Although, I don't know if I can do hand-to-hand combat or swing a katana-sword-sharp object anymore." Ulquiorra sighed. "Orihime, just because he's picking up the form doesn't mean we have to go through this right now. We can take all the time we need to do this."

"I honestly don't mind if it's now or later, I just was bothered by what Quin said. Why were you in such a rush though? Is it really all to one-up Kurosaki?"

Was he wanting to rush into a marriage with her just to keep Orihime away from the shinigami? No, it was partly that and partly he wanted to get it over with and done. He was tired of talking about it and the speculation surrounding them. It would definitely show that Takahashi bitch that he wasn't available and it would most likely send a message to Yui. "Partly. I just want the world to know that we're both unavailable."

"Well in that case, let's get it done," she purred into his ear as she straddled his lap. "I know I would love to see the looks on people's faces when they learn that I've tamed "Manwhore Murcielago"," she giggled.

"Is that what you think I am?" he asked, kissing her back, pulling her body closer to his. "I guess I'm just your manwhore now."

"No, you are my _Espada_," she said, reaching between them and grabbing his cock. "There it is…" she said, catching his gaze for a moment and smirking.

Ulquiorra bit his lip before glancing down at where her hand was at. "Can I help you with something?"

"I don't know, can you?" she challenged him, opening his fly and rolling her hips against it.

His eyes shut for a moment before Ulquiorra opened them and stared at her, his gaze darkening as her body moved against him. He hoped that Ishida got the hint to fuck off because they were going to make a lot of noise. His hands stripped off his shirt, throwing it to the floor and he leaned back, using his elbows to prop himself up.

Orihime was enjoying the view, and figured turn about was fair play, so she pulled her shirt up over her head and cast it to the side as well, leaving her black bra on. If he wanted it off he was going to have to ask. She put her hands on his belly for balance and started to move with a little more intention, pushing down toward his feet a little stronger with each roll to work his pants down further. Eventually she was going to have to stop what she was doing to take care of that but she was enjoying this part for the moment.

He bit his lip again, letting his teeth rake over his bottom lip as he watched her hips move against him. "This isn't fair, you know. I'm topless, you're not. Take if off, Woman," he demanded.

"Your wish is my command," she said, reaching around her back to unhook the clasp of her bra and letting it fall loose as she continued to move. As it got hung up around her elbows, she used her hands to take the straps off of her arms and positioned them like a slingshot on her fingers, first aiming at Ulquiorra's face and grinning wickedly, then aiming for the upper corner of the room, giving Ulquiorra a rare, unobstructed view of her Murcielago tattoo, and doing her best impression of a Quincy, releasing it like an arrow and hitting her mark with a satisfied smirk before refocusing on the man underneath her.

Ulquiorra pulled Orihime up so that he could bury his face in her chest, mouth trailing over her skin. "You need to lose the bottom half too," he murmured.

"You too," she said, her growing urgency evident in her voice, working her legs off the end of the bed and shimmying her pants off before tugging his off as well and climbing back up.

Seeing her naked made his brain stop functioning. Ulquiorra kissed her then smiled when he pulled back. "You wanna use those handcuffs on me?" he asked.

She raised an eyebrow at him. She once again slid off the end of the bed, walking around to the side and making a show of bending over in front of him with her ass on display, which was _completely _unnecessary. Then she got on her hands and knees, digging underneath her bed. "Ah ha!" she said after a moment, standing up and blowing dust off of a cardboard box with a picture of a woman wearing a slutty cop costume on it. "I went as Detective Inoue to a Halloween party a couple years ago," she laughed, then looked down at him with a stern expression and said, "you're under arrest," cuffing his hands together over his head.

Ulquiorra positioned himself on his side of the bed. When she said that, he couldn't help but laugh which quickly went silent as he felt one of those cuffs go around his wrist. He swallowed as she brought his other wrist up. "You're really going to do this to me?" he asked.

"You bet your ass I am," she said, taking the belt off his jeans and wrapping it around the chain of the cuffs to attach it to the bedpost. "There, that's better," she muttered as she climbed back on top of him. "I'm not going to go easy on you this time," she warned, grasping his member and positioning it under her so it laid flat against his body. She lowered herself down to it and began sliding her slick lips up and down the underside of his shaft.

He hissed as he felt the contact between their bodies. Her wet skin against his hard cock made his eyes roll back into his head. Fuck, where had she learned this? It was a new sensation and better than just her grinding against him. It reminded him of that one time at From Dusk where she practically fucked him in that booth. He went to move his hands but the handcuffs and the belt stopped him from going very far. "Orihime, let me go."

"No. Not until you've been punished," she said, sliding her hands up from his belly until her fingertips found his nipples. She'd never given them much attention before, but she always enjoyed it when he'd done it to her. She adjusted her hips to let just the head of his cock slip between her folds and circled the soft skin on his chest with a deliberate touch.

There was one thing she was forgetting. He didn't have use of his hands up he could still move his legs. It wouldn't take but a shift of his hips to slide into her body. "Orihime," he moaned, distracted from his plan by her fingers on his chest.

Orihime smiled. So he liked that, huh? If that was the case she knew what he would like even more. She leaned forward, pressing her breasts into his belly, and brought her tongue out to lick the one on her right, tracing the outer border and working her way toward the center in a clockwise motion. When she reached the center she closed her lips around it and sucked softly for a moment and then kissed her way to the other one, repeating the same steps to the nipple on her left.

It didn't bother her that while she did this, her own breasts where knocking into the head of his cock. It was giving her some more ideas, but she would wait and see how Ulquiorra took this treatment.

"Oh god," he groaned, planting his feet against the surface of the bed and lifting his hips up. He had done this to her many times but he had never really let her touch him like this. Ulquiorra never really let anyone before Orihime touch him in such an intimate way. He wasn't sure how it would feel or if it was necessary. Now he knew though. "Woman," he panted, trying to keep his voice down.

"Hmm?" She asked, her mouth still covering his right nipple, the vibrations from her voice adding to the sensations she was delivering with her tongue.

His entire body shivered from her mouth and what it was doing to him. "That feels-It's like-I want you to fuck me. I want you to make me cum."

She smiled and sat up, positioning her entrance above him. "In due time, my love," she said, sliding down his cock and sitting there, leaving her left hand to play with the nipple still wet with her saliva and her right to touch herself as she sat in him. "I told you this was a punishment. I'm going to come first," she said with a small gasp as she started to manipulate her clit.

Ulquiorra's eyes snapped open and he watched her hand as Orihime played with herself. He jerked his arms against the restraints, fingers itching to touch her or at least position her body to where he could slam his cock into her and fuck her until they both orgasmed. "You keep that up all you want, Hime. I could watch you do that all day," he said, letting his eyes drift up to face for a moment.

Her eyes lowered as she watched the muscles in his arms strain against the restraints, and she had to bite her lip to keep from blowing out all her air. She needed to keep it together to execute what she was planning. She switched hands, the one now wet with her own arousal playing with his left nipple and her left hand rubbing herself. Her breathing started to hitch and her hips started to swivel on him slightly as the pretremors of her first orgasm started to buzz on his cock. "Ulquiorra, I'm going to come soon," she whispered, her eyes closing.

"Good, come on me, lover." Ulquiorra watched her body, letting his gaze travel up and down her form, taking in her round tits and how they moved along with the hand that was working between her legs. "When you're finished, I'm going to make you come again but this time with my cock."

He didn't have to wait, She choked and cried softly as her orgasm clamped on his cock, pulsing as her body twitched along with each stroke of her fingers. She panted as she rode it out, alternating between holding her breath and gasping, until it was finally over and she opened her eyes and found his. "Round one is over. Time for round two," she said, leaning forward to kiss him, her entire upper body in contact with his, sticking her tongue into his mouth and sucking on his. She began to slowly move her hips up and down his length, making sure she really coated him in her essence.

It didn't look like she was going to let him go. He was going to have to use his legs. Ulquiorra thrust against her, making sure he was buried deep each time, causing her to bounce on his lap. "Keep riding me, Orihime."

She was unintelligent at the moment, burying her face in his neck and panting into it, lapping and kissing at it from time to time as her hips bounced on his. She was already sensitive from her first orgasm and it wasn't long before her pussy was starting to tighten up on his cock again. "Ulquiorra, I'm gonna-" she whimpered into his neck as she came powerfully on him, much faster than either of them anticipated. She cried out loudly as her entire body spasmed while he continued to thrust. The sweat between their bodies only emphasizing the million points of contact between them as she jerked.

Orihime's body felt like a vice around him and once again Ulquiorra hissed. It only took several more thrusts into her before his arms pulled on the handcuffs again. He could feel his release pumping into her warmth and he couldn't hold onto anything but that belt. "Fuck," he groaned.

After it was over and they both lie there is a puddle of sweat and cum and saliva and breathless bodies, Orihime realized that the worrying she had been doing was stupid. She was already his. After she caught her breath, she decided to tell him as much. "I already belong to you, Ulquiorra. Everything else is just paperwork. Let's get it done as soon as we can."

He lifted his head and looked at her. "Tomorrow after the interview?" he offered.

She nodded into his chest, and then in a brief moment of clarity, fished around for the cuff keys and undid one side of them, leaving the key in the lock and letting her body go limp on his chest. She smiled with her eyes closed, totally spent.

"Next time we use these handcuffs, I'm restraining you."


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44: Mr and Mrs**

Koenji, Tokyo, Japan

J. Itoh

I'm sitting at a small cafe in Koenji, looking at one man with whom I never thought I would have an audience, let alone see in the flesh. Most of the questions I've had for him have been fielded through his agent who is at best gruff and unfriendly when it comes to the artist and model, C. Murcielago.

All of Japan knows his artwork and there are those who flock to each and everyone of his shows. I do because I am paid to report on works of art. Murcielago has surprised me. His recent show which I got a sneak preview of was boring and showed no passion. They were the works of an amateur who seemed to have lost his heart.

When the show actually opened, I was shocked to see that the review I had published hours before was null and void. The art I saw displayed was nothing like the show that was being presented to the public; also on display was the famous piece,_ The Woman and The Moon_.

Graphic prints showing Murcielago and his girlfriend, model and budding fashion designer, Orihime Inoue, were placed on the walls. The content was rather explicit in some ways, but censored.

JI: I am going to assume that the nature of the show was to show a new facet of you?

CM: No.

JI: … Okay, why did you change the paintings from paint splattered canvases to the prints?

CM: I changed the artwork so that I could prove people wrong. I worked nonstop for three days to to prove you and Takahashi Emi wrong.

JI: To prove me wrong?

CM: Yes.

When I was approached by Murcielago's personal assistant, she told me that he would be willing to open up about his life and work ethic. The artist is known to be somewhat problematic according to the designer who got him into modeling. I knew this interview wasn't going to be the easiest thing I've ever conducted.

JI: How did you meet Inoue?

CM: Former line of work.

JI: You weren't always an artist?

CM: You could say I was a private investigator… and babysitter at times.

JI: When did you paint The Woman and the Moon?

CM: Almost seven years ago. I saw Inoue and she had such an impact on me that I gathered the supplies I would need, then painted.

JI: Had you ever painted before?

CM: No. I felt compelled to do it. It was a frenzy of activity.

From what I understood of Murcielago's past, he was a former drug addict who no longer seems to struggle with this plight. He doesn't look like a former addict. He appears healthy except for the ghastly pale complexion he has which looks slightly sickly. He needs a good vacation in a sunny place.

JI: You were a playboy before Inoue came into your life, weren't you?

CM: I was trying to fill a void that I didn't know was there. Sleeping with various women seemed to fill that need until I met Inoue.

JI: It seems highly improbable that you decided to give up your ways for one woman.

CM: She was worth it. She was the female I was trying to find and replace.

When Murcielago talks about Inoue, his eyes seem to get this glow in them and he looks like a man who has been in love a long time.

JI: There have been rumors about you two. What's the tea? Care to spill some with us?

CM: Which rumor would you like cleared up? There's so many.

JI: Sassy, I like it. Did you have a pregnancy scare?

CM: No. I overreacted and made Inoue take some precautionary measures.

JI: Was she in the hospital for a miscarriage?

At this point, a look of pain came over Murcielago's face. It was clear that this is not a good memory for him. He averts his funny looking eyes and appears uncomfortable.

CM: No. She failed to eat and got dizzy. Orihime fell and had to go to the hospital because she cut her head open. There was some misunderstanding between us. I, once again, overreacted.

JI: There were reports of you calling yourself Mr. Inoue. You're married to her, aren't you? Why did you take her name?

CM: The doctor assumed we were married.

JI: You're not answering my question, Murcielago.

CM: We are not married… Yet… I proposed several weeks ago to her.

JI: Oh, really?

The artist's face was passive as he delivers this news. It appeared to me that Murcielago seemed to regret this decision but then he smiled at someone behind me. Let me tell you boys… okay, and the girls… When this man smiles, it is the sweetest thing I have ever seen. It is not an outright smile, one side of his mouth quirks up, which shows a dimple on his right cheek. As I watched him, the smile grew bigger until he was biting his bottom lip, face flushed. I finally turned around to see Inoue standing behind me.

JI: Am I getting the chance of a lifetime to interview you both?

CM: I will permit it, yes. Orihime, would you like to join me?

Let me point out that this interview was scheduled to be done when Murcielago got back from Mongolia, but I was informed that I could not execute it until Inoue returned from her work on Pauletto's campaign that spanned across Asia. I've seen some of the proofs from a private photoshoot that was done between Murcielago and Inoue. They put the original photos that featured the pair to shame.

JI: Will you be joining us, Inoue?

OI: Certainly! Thanks for having me.

JI: A pleasure, now. You gave an interview with Takahashi Emi, didn't you?

OI: That is true.

JI: That interview came out the same day as Murcielago's gallery show and my blog article. You two seem to prove both of us wrong already with the images that Murcielago showed us in those prints, but have you two had relationship troubles? Were you the reason he provided those miserable paintings to the gallery the first time?

OI: There may be a grain of truth to that idea. We had gone through a period of separation, and neither of us were very happy during that time. It certainly affected me, and I think it's safe to say that Cifer was also negatively affected.

CM: I was devastated but I thought the separation was the best for us at the time. I was devoting more time to modeling than to creating art and that didn't feel like me or who I am.

The pair looked at each other and Inoue had this glow that can only be described as belonging to someone who insanely happy. Murcielago reached across the space and grabbed her hand. I must admit, I'm jealous.

JI: Can you tell us about your tattoos, Murcielago?

CM: Which one?

JI: I think the one Takahashi was most fascinated with was the word Espada across your abdomen.

CM: It means sword. I used to be good with a katana and I used to fight others. I was ranked fourth in the organization I used to practice with; it was an important position.

JI: So that is linked to the number on your chest?

CM: Mostly. Most people think my art is rather melancholy and dark, so it could be tied into that too.

JI: You're referring to the—

CM: How four and death can be easily mistaken for one another.

JI: Which tattoos do not deal with Inoue?

CM: The cat, the owl, the deer head and the feather. Pretty much the rest of them have to do with her.

JI: Inoue, what do you think about Murcielago's tattoos and how they pertain to you?

OI: At first I was shocked by the amount - it's rare in Japan, don't you think? But they are all very beautifully designed and the placement and balance is very aesthetically pleasing. Of course the sentiment behind them is the most compelling part. It makes me feel, um, important to him, which is something I enjoy, obviously (she laughs).

JI: Do you think he's obsessed with you, like Takahashi claims? There are rumors that she is coming out with a new article about Murcielago.

OI: Well, Ms. Takahashi is, I believe, projecting. I don't think Cifer is obsessed with me. We love each other. An acquaintance of mine recently shared some information with me regarding Ms. Takahashi which leads me to believe that she has taken an unhealthy interest in my fiance, and I think the content of her article supports that argument. She also recently had a run in with him at a convenience store near our home, so I worry that she may be staking him out (_laughs nervously_).

JI: You are certainly nothing like how Takahashi portrays you, Inoue. You also have a lot of followers on social media, mainly Instagram. Any crazies from there that want your attention?

OI: Thank you. I'll take that first part as a compliment. As for my social media followers, most of them are exceedingly kind and I really enjoy interacting with them. There are, of course, exceptions. There was one in particular that was quite threatening, but that user is no longer active, for which I am grateful.

At this point of the interview, Murcielago is gave me an unimpressed look and I knew I'd have to cut this short, but not before I got to the meat of this man.

JI: Murcielago, what are those orange swirls on your hip and thigh? Do they represent anything or are they just a pretty decoration?

CM: They are there to represent Orihime's hair, one of her most striking features.

JI: What is your thought process while creating art? Are you like most artists who go through manic episodes?

CM: I do have my moments where all I want to do is create art. Orihime can tell you that I would be so involved with painting that I would forget to eat or hydrate. She would have to remind me.

JI: How did you come up with the idea for the prints that sold at your latest show?

CM: It was Orihime's idea to do that. She wanted photos of us together and I wanted to try out my drawing tablet. It came together.

JI: Have you thought about selling more prints? I personally would buy several of the prints I saw.

CM: I have been toying with the idea of doing limited edition runs of each print. It's something my PR associate and I have been tossing around.

I can tell you if Murcielago does put out limited edition prints, I will snatch up each and every one of them. I would try to grab an original painting of his but, alas, too rich for my blood.

JI: What are the plans for the future? Are there babies on the horizon? What about this wedding? Honeymoon details? Something for us to chew on?

OI: We've been traveling with Pauletto and I have a collection to finish and show to plan before my projected graduation in March, so we have time to think about it, right?

CM: (_nods_) We were planning on having a long engagement to get things in order with our lives before we decide to radically change it.

JI: You two seem to be happy but why not get married right away? Are you leaving the door open for other lovers to come waltzing back or perhaps things are not as smooth as they seem?

CM: No, you twit. Are you deaf? We just stated that we needed to get our affairs in order. Orihime has school. We have thought about eloping but we came to the conclusion it would not benefit us right now.

Murcielago has the reputation for being rather blunt and he does not disappoint. It was rather obvious that the two love each other and are trying to make their mysterious relationship work for them. I have to wonder, though, if this is all a farce. The anger expressed in Murcielago's face spoke volumes and for a moment, I was almost afraid. I am a journalist though, and this question needed to be asked.

JI: Do you plan on breaking up? Is that why you're choosing to have this long engagement, as you put it? Maybe there's someone else in Inoue's life?

(_Silence from the pair_.)

It did not seem like they wanted to answer this question, but the show must go on.

JI: One last question, if you please.

CM: What?

JI: Inoue, you've been seen with Ishida Uryu and being rather intimate with him in several clubs. You also live with him. Has that precocious behavior followed you two home? Have you ever thought of him in a romantic way? Is he the last hurdle that keeps you from marrying Murcielago?

OI: (_laughs). _No. Certainly not. I adore him; we went to high school together and have been roommates since we started at Bunka Fashion College. We_ have_ been affectionate in public before; often to keep other interested parties at arm's length That has stopped since I started dating Cifer, though. Ishida and I never had romantic feelings for each other, and now that I am with Cifer, Ishida and I are not physically affectionate. He has been dating other people this whole time anyway. He respects Cifer and our relationship and would never do anything untoward. He is the kind of guy that you only meet once or twice in a lifetime; kind and fun and generous and smart and just a really good person, and I intend to keep his friendship for the rest of my life. He supports our decision to get married. I wouldn't allow him to get in the way, and he wouldn't want to.

JI: What about you Murcielago? There were reports of you and Inoue filming yourself having sex. It is rumored to be that your name is actually Ulquiorra.

CM: It is my middle name.

JI: Oh? Is it normal to have three names where you come from?

CM: Sometimes. Are we done? Have you had your fill?

JI: No, I have not but you seem to be done. Thank you Inoue and Murcielago!

With this Murcielago stood and grabbed Inoue's hand, then stormed off which conclude dthis blogger's interview with the introverted artist. He surely is an enigma and I cannot wait to see what his next show brings us.

* * *

"So Hirano was really pissed, huh?" Orihime asked as they walked out of the building they gave the interview in.

"Eh, yeah," Ulquiorra answered. "Itoh deviated from the questions he sent us."

Orihime nodded. "Not just about the interview though, but about the favor?"

He shook his head. "She doesn't understand why we are in a rush but she said she'd be there. She's married and she mentioned how difficult it is to be married."

Orihime was bothered by that. She knew Ulquiorra trusted the woman and valued her opinion, and most times Orihime felt like Hirano had his best interests at heart, but this time it was rubbing her the wrong way. "I don't know. It just feels wrong to have someone there who is against it. It feels like bad luck," she admitted, looking at her feet.

"She's not against it. It's just Hirano and her husband are together through an arranged marriage or something? She's a bitch and he's older. Her family decided to set her up with someone. She's just jealous of how happy I am," Ulquiorra replied. "She likes you and thinks you'll keep me in line. She said that much when I talked to her this morning on the phone."

"Alright. She's going to meet us at the college, right?" Orihime was a bundle of nerves. This was happening. All they had to do was stamp and then the two of them would register the marriage at city hall and that'd be it. Married.

He nodded. Ulquiorra was apprehensive about this whole thing and wanted to take a step back to think about it some more, but on the other hand, he wanted to do this. He wanted to do this to make Orihime happy. "She should be there soon. Is Quin there?"

"If it's daylight you can bet he is always there," she said quietly. Something was wrong. His responses to the interview questions were odd. It was as if he was not the same person he was the day before, eager to be wed and united under one name. It wasn't just Hirano. She stopped walking.

Of course, it would be that moment that her phone started to ring. She looked at the display and declined the call.

"Kurosaki?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Yeah," she replied, exasperated.

"Of course he calls today," he muttered. He stopped walking and looked at Orihime. "I'm nervous. I don't know why but this feels like a pivotal moment."

"It's supposed to. I'm nervous too. But it feels like that is not all there is to it. Do you not want to do this anymore?" she asked, even though she was afraid of the answer.

"No that's not it. I'm just waiting for someone to try and ruin it. I'm just waiting for someone to spoil today for us," Ulquiorra said. He pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment trying to figure out how to word what he wanted to say. "I keep waiting for someone like Crofton, Kurosaki, Grimmjow, or one of those women to pop out and stop us from doing this."

"They can all try. But when it comes down to it, the only ones who can really stop us are ourselves."

He nodded. That he understood. "So you still want to do this then? I want to, but like I said, I'm nervous. I don't know what to expect."

She took his hand and squeezed. "I want to. Let's go do it." She began to lead him.

When they arrived at the college, Hirano was waiting outside the entrance, Ishida would be waiting in his studio with the paperwork, but the older woman didn't know him or her way around the building, so she opted to meet the couple at the door.

"So you two are really going to do this?" Hirano asked as they walked up. She tilted her head until it reached her shoulder and then glared at Ulquiorra. "You should be around each other with a slow internet connection, sickness and when shit really hits the fan."

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. "I have no clue what a slow internet connection is," he said ticking things off his fingers. "Two, this woman has seen me when I was dea-dying and I think with Crofton, shit hit the fan, so I think we're good. Just because the circumstances for your marriage were shitty doesn't mean you should discourage others."

"Holy fuck, you do have a backbone," the assistant said.

"Let's go inside, Ishida is waiting," Orihime muttered, pushing past the pair of arguing people.

Ulquiorra followed Orihime, keeping close behind her. He didn't care if Hirano was behind him or not. "You still okay, Woman?"

"Yes," she said, somewhat tense. "It will be easier once we get this part over with and it's just us at City Hall."

Hirano was rolling her eyes and muttering to herself. Ulquiorra ignored her. "When do we have to be in Nikko?"

"You two aren't even going to have a honeymoon or a vacation?"

"Tomorrow at noon," Orihime answered.

The PR woman was ignored again. "So after we do this we have a couple hours to ourselves? Hirano, is there anything scheduled for the rest of the week?"

"Hirano-" The woman's voice was mocking. Ulquiorra shot her a withering look and the woman automatically shut her mouth then shook her head. "No, you don't have anything going on until a week from Thursday. A gallery wants to talk to you about having a show with your work in March."

"Oh that's nice, when in March? It's a busy month," Orihime mentioned.

"Uh," the black-haired woman said. "The middle of the month. They want to end it right before April."

"That will be right around when I graduate," Orihime said.

There was a sigh from Hirano. "So, I take it to decline the meeting-"

"Or ask them to reschedule it. I have agreed to help Orihime out with her show by doing some prints and paintings for her," Ulquiorra stated.

Orihime stopped at a door and opened it to see Quin at a large square table with a measuring tape draped around his neck. "Hi Quin, we're here," she said, finally smiling. It was nice not to feel like the odd one out. Ulquiorra and Hirano had an intense energy between them that often made Orihime feel tired.

"Ishida. You've met Hirano," Ulquiorra said, coming in behind Orihime. Hirano nodded at the Quincy.

Ishida nodded back and laid the paperwork out on the table. "I've reviewed it all and everything is in order. We just have to stamp and it's done."

"Okay!" Orihime said, pulling out her purse and fishing for her seal.

"I have them, remember?" Quin said. "I have both of yours for safekeeping. Nervous, Boo?"

"A bit," she admitted. "It's a big deal."

"I'm glad you realize that," Ishida replied, smiling first at her and then at Ulquiorra. "Are you ready?"

Ulquiorra bit his lip but nodded.

Ishida handed out the seals and pointed out where to stamp them. "What are you going to do? Ladies first? Age before beauty?"

He nodded again. He had no clue what to do. "Go ahead, Orihime."

She nodded silently and blotted her stamp onto the inkpad and carefully lined it up over the designated spot. With a deep breath, and surprisingly steady hand, she pressed down onto the paper.

His hand was shaking as he copied Orihime's actions. Why was he so damn nervous? It was just a piece of paper. Once the seal was stamped, Ulquiorra let out a long exhale.

"Well done," Ishida said. "Ms. Hirano, you stamp here as the second witness after I stamp as the first," he said, already pressing his seal onto the paper like he did this kind of thing everyday.

Hirano pulled her stamp out of her bag and waited for the other man to do his thing. Once Ishida was done, she practically slammed her seal onto the paperwork. "Done, congrats."

"Thanks," Orihime said, kind of absently.

"Do you want me to come along to City Hall or would you two rather manage on your own?" Quin asked.

"We can do this," Ulquiorra said. He looked at Orihime and smiled. "Right?"

Orihime nodded and smiled, bolstered by Ulquiorra's expression. "Yep!"

Ulquiorra took the paperwork and handed it to Orihime so that she could put it in her purse. He then grabbed her hand. For some reason he wanted to get away from Hirano and her shitty attitude. Walking quickly out of the room, the artist pulled Orihime with him until they were pretty much alone. "Now what happens?" he asked quietly.

"Well, now we walk over to City Hall, and they take the paperwork and record it, and then we're officially married," she whispered. There were gossips everywhere.

"I think Hirano is mad," Ulquiorra said. "Did you get that vibe? I mean I don't care if she is, it's just she said she would support this."

"I think she is thinking about your brand, honestly. She's probably worried that if this gets out, part of your mystique will be gone," Orihime wondered out loud. "It might be something else though, I don't know. Maybe she just doesn't like me?"

Maybe Hirano was just thinking he was being rash. Maybe she was worried about his status. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that we did this and we're going to make this official and then we're going out. Dinner and then maybe we'll go to Aquamarine. It's not real dancing though."

She beamed at him. It was stupid to let his employee get them down. She threaded her arm through his and started tugging him down the hallway, jogging toward the exit. "Let's go!"

* * *

They walked into the city hall as two separate people but walked out as a married couple. Ulquiorra didn't feel any different; the only difference he could detect in Orihime was that she was glowing. Her smile seemed to reach from ear to ear. "Are you that happy?" he asked.

"Was there any doubt?" she asked, sliding her eyes to his and pushing into his arm. "I have a lot to do when we get back from Nikko. I mean, I don't have a lot of accounts to change my name on but I have to register the name change at school and with my bank."

He raised an eyebrow. "You have to do stuff like that?"

"Yeah, it doesn't happen on its own, unfortunately," she said, her smile not at all dampened at her words. "What about you? Are you happy?"

"I am happy but also nervous still," he replied. "I don't want you to face any backlash when people find out that we're married."

Orihime threw her head back and laughed. "I'm a big girl. I can handle haters. I've always had them. You don't go through life looking like I do without having people hate you for one reason or another. Now I actually can understand why though. You are a catch," she giggled.

"You're a catch too ma'am," Ulquiorra said with a smile. "Do you want to go to that noodle place by the college or did you want something a bit more romantic?"

"What could be more romantic than recreating our first date?" she asked. She was completely serious, and started tugging Ulquiorra in that direction.

Once they reached the noodle place, Ulquiorra stopped Orihime. "You're really okay with noodles?" It seemed like an odd choice and he had only been kidding but since she wanted to recreate-wait, had the noodle place been their first date? Technically it was when it all boiled down to it. He had taken her out for food and paid for it. They sat in this same place and talked for several hours.

"I love noodles. I love you. I love our story. This place is part of the beginning of it, right?" She asked. "If you would prefer something more fancy or whatever though, to commemorate the occasion, I'm cool with it," she offered. She hadn't asked what he wanted in her excitement.

He had to smile at her; Orihime seemed so happy and full of life. "I'm good with noodles," he said. "So, I could probably do your show and this gallery show in March, we have plenty of time. It's a chance to get my name out there more."

"I think you should if it's not going to be too much work. I mean, you don't have to do the show with me either, if the job is a better opportunity. I want you to do the show though, don't get me wrong. I think it will be so cool. But your career is more important than an idea for a school show."

"Woman, I already have paintings for your show completed. I know this is a chance to showcase all of your work. You had to pick and choose which designs you liked more, If I can bring to life your other designs, I'm happy to do that," Ulquiorra said. "It won't be a lot of work. I just need to find some place in the apartment to set up a painting area."

"I was thinking about that, and since you are technically part of my show, I think it is totally within my rights to set up a space for you to work in my studio at school. It's the same size as the room that Quin was using. All graduating seniors get a space like that to use to prepare our final shows. After I graduate we'll get a bigger place and you can migrate there. What do you think?"

Ulquiorra thought about it. The lighting was crap in their apartment and relocating his supplies to a corner would be a pain in the ass. He didn't want to crowd Orihime either. "Just because you're my-_you know_-doesn't mean you have to share everything with me. I don't want you to get sick of me."

"It's just for a few months. After that I'm going to need to find my own studio space. I'm thinking of asking Quin if he wants to go in on a shared space with me to save on costs, at least while we each get up and running. Then if you want a home studio I won't be in your hair all the time. I know I can be a bit… distracting," she said with a suggestive eyebrow raise.

"I just don't know how much painting I'm going to get done with you around, _Mrs. Cifer_." Saying his last name like that was weird but it made him smile.

Orihime's heart fluttered hearing him say that, but she needed to address his valid concerns. "That's why having a space at the college is ideal. It's not as tempting to get, um, _off task_, when underclassmen are coming in and out of the room all day. Anyway, think about it," she said as the waiter came to take their orders.

"You think an audience is gonna stop me?"

"Well it has before, so I have hope," she muttered.

Ulquiorra smirked at her after telling the waiter what he wanted. He waited until the person left before he leaned across the table and whispered, "Do you know what this means? I mean being married? I get to have sex with you all the time."

She whispered back, "What else is new? You do all the time now."

"Yeah but we can't break up, so if you get mad at me or I get mad at you, too bad." Ulquiorra smiled at her. The shock of what they had done was finally wearing off. He liked the idea of being attached to her permanently. "But I will think about your idea, about the studio."

She smiled and nodded. It wasn't a big deal whether he took her up on it or not, she just thought it was a practical solution. She decided to change the subject. "So… now that we're married, we have some housekeeping items to discuss. Things like premarital assets and debts. I'm not going to make you pay Uryu a dowry," she laughed, "but I'm willing to accept your proposed "royalties" for the use of my likeness to pay him off. If there is any remaining debt after that I will pay it off, not you. I wracked it up before you were liable for me, so it's only fair. Likewise, whatever assets you have now are yours alone, but from today forward I would assume we follow the law of the land and combine our fortunes?"

Ulquiorra furrowed his brow and looked at her. He hadn't thought of something like this. "I should probably call my accountant and tell him I got married. Maybe I can get Hirano to do it," he mused. "Uh, as far as I know, I don't have any debt. I like to pay for things up front. Uh, do you know how much you owe Ishida?"

She took out a pen and an old receipt laying in her purse and did some rough calculations. "He has been very generous and hasn't even expected me to go half on the rent and utilities. I pay a third and he pays two-thirds," she sighed, she was thinking about the end of their time living together coming up soon, and felt a twinge of sadness. "Anyway, I was able to keep up with the bills my first year and a half with scholarship money but since then…" she finished her calculations and slid it to her husband. "This includes the funds he fronted me when I was buying fabric and supplies for my collection."

The paper read ¥6700000

"More or less," she added.

Ulquiorra looked at the paper then pulled up his banking app on his phone. He used his fingerprint to access it and then showed her the screen. He waited a moment before he said, "I owe you thirty percent of that. That's what I think is fair."

"Holy Shi-! Thirty percent seems kind of_ generous_. I don't think I'm worth that much! At least not just my image. I think your accountant would blow gasket if you told him you were cutting me a check for thirty percent of _that_."

"You're my wife, why would he freak out? What you owe Quin doesn't even put a dent in what I owe you," Ulquiorra stated. He shook his head. "Does it really even matter? Besides, I can make money any time. I can make a sizeable chunk of money selling the Woman and The Moon."

"Would you ever sell her?" she asked, curious. His feelings about the painting may have changed now that they were official.

His head shook back and forth. "Not for anything in the world," Ulquiorra replied. "I wouldn't let it go even when I needed money."

"I'm glad. I don't know why, but it makes me feel… I dunno. I like how it makes me feel, but I don't know the name of that feeling," she said, setting her chopsticks down. Her work as a model had gotten her used to not eating much in one sitting, and she couldn't stomach more than a third of her bowl of noodles. "Do you want any of this?" she offered.

"You hardly ate anything," Ulquiorra stated. He had finished his own bowl of noodles as they were discussing things. "Stupid modeling."

She smiled and patted her belly. "I'm so full though," she said, pooching her gut out to emphasize her point. "I'm retiring, so don't worry. I'll pork up in no time."

Ulquiorra smirked at her. "I liked your body before our first breakup. It was soft and curvy. I mean your body is nice now but it really feels like I'm gonna break you."

She laughed. "You won't. But I did lose a lot of weight after we broke up that time that I never gained back, and it wasn't for modeling either. That was just stress. I got more jobs from it though, so thanks?"

He rolled his eyes. "You've always been tiny though," Ulquiorra said. "I'm not complaining. You couldn't have possibly won a fight against anyone all those years ago. I can't believe I let those two Numeros beat the hell out of you."

"Right? What were you thinking?" She laughed. "Oh yeah, sworn enemies and all that."

"I was trying to stop Kurosaki from taking off with you?" Ulquiorra looked like he was confused. "I remember trying to stop him; why didn't you just attack them?"

"I thought I was doing the right thing. I didn't want to hurt anyone. Honestly, I was kind of stunted then and traumatized from what happened with my brother turning into a hollow, so I felt like an attack on a hollow was an attack against him… I was very confused and not at all confident."

Ulquiorra grabbed Orihime's hand and kissed her knuckles. "I think your selfless demeanor is the reason why I fell for you," he told her.

"Sorry it didn't last," she said with kind of a lame laugh.

He chuckled. "Did you want to go to Aquamarine or do you just want to go home and spend tonight inside? We can go dancing after we come back from Nikko."

"If that's what you'd prefer, but part of me really wants to dance with you tonight. We can spend a couple hours at home first though, it's still pretty early. But it would be nice to have some champers and for me to cling to you like a wet rag while all the other bitches sit around jealous even though I'm the only one who knows we're married," she laughed.

"If that's what you want to do, then that is what we will do, Mrs. C."


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45: Heartbreakers**

"Oh my god," Orihime whimpered as she fell to Ulquiorra's side. "Whoever said sex after marriage is worse is an idiot," she said breathlessly. They had lasted about four minutes before they gave up on getting ready to go out and fell into bed together.

"Do they say that sex after marriage is worse? The fuck if I know," he said still panting. "We should do that again."

"Yes, please," she said, still trying to catch her breath.

Ulquiorra lifted his head and laughed as much as he could. "We should probably get ready to go now though. You know, make our rounds. Give the cameras something to look at."

"Yeah, you're right. I don't think I've been to Aquamarine since before I took Pauletto's job. It will be a homecoming of sorts. Plus it will round out our wedding day trip down memory lane. Aquamarine was the club we were in when we first saw each other last year."

He let his hand trail down his wife's back and then sighed. "I should have talked to you… or at least flipped you and Quin off. That would have been hilarious; at least it would have been to me at the time."

Orihime laughed hard at that image, grabbing her breasts to stop them from flailing all over the place. "If you had done that I would have probably been terrified. I thought you were a ghost."

"A ghost?" He grabbed her hand and put it on his abdomen right above his hips. "Does this feel like a ghost to you? Why would you think I was a ghost?"

"Because I watched…" she couldn't say it. Even now as he lie next to her, alive and full of vigor, she couldn't bring herself to remember him turning to ashes without tearing up and choking. She just pursed her lips and shook her head.

His heart sank a bit. She looked so upset. Ulquiorra gathered Orihime into his arms and pulled her on top of him. "Hey, no sad face. Happy day, remember? You're Mrs. Ulquiorra Cifer. You're Mrs. C. Murcielago." He tipped her face up and kissed her. "You could have said something to me; called me an asshole or something. You would have found out real quick that I was not a ghost, Woman."

She smiled a little and blew out a humorous breath through her nose. "I would _never. _ I was assured it wasn't you anyway. I believe Quin's words were something like, "Creepy, but that fucker's dead," then he started dancing to a mash-up of _Dancing Queen _and _Hot in Here _," she laughed.

"You know I watched you from the moment you stepped into that club that night until I left," Ulquiorra told her. "I figured you'd be the redhead knock off I took home that night but you looked so unimpressed with everything that I didn't bother."

"Well that's probably for the best, anyway. I like how things worked out for us," she said and kissed his chin and then the center of his chest before she pushed herself up. "I'm going to take a shower. Any requests? It's not a wedding gown or anything but I've got a closet full of dresses. Pick your favorite and I'll wear it for you tonight."

Ulquiorra sat up and studied her for a moment. "Anything that's short and hugs your body, I'm good with. It's a shame you're not friends with Markus. I liked that gold dress that you couldn't wear anything underneath with."

"Oh, my darling husband, I _never _wear anything under my dresses when I go to Aquamarine," she said with half lidded eyes as she left the room.

This automatically piqued his interest and he shot off the bed to follow her. "Wait a minute, hold on, never?" he asked. "Like never ever?"

"Never ever ever," she said as she walked through the living room bare-assed and unashamed to the bathroom.

"Woman, wait. So that night I talked to you after the first break up, you weren't-?" Ulquiorra remembered seeing her tits that night but he assumed she would have worn something to cover her ass.

"Of course not. I mean, if I wanted a quickie in the bathroom how would I do that if I had undies on?" she teased.

Ulquiorra stood there before he remembered they were both naked. "Go take your shower, I'm gonna go get dressed."

"Are you mad?" she asked, partially amused and partially perplexed. "I was kidding about the quickie thing."

Shaking his head, Ulquiorra said, "Nah, I'm the first and only man you've had a quickie with in a bathroom so why would I be mad? I just don't want Quin to walk in and see your body."

Before today she would have argued that it was a silly concern; Quin had seen her naked a million times and if she ever modeled for him again he would see it again and how it wouldn't matter anyway because he's gay, but things were different now. Ulquiorra had a say.

"Alright, I'll hustle." she said and scooted into the bathroom.

Ulquiorra quickly made his way back to their bedroom. He rummaged through the dresser and his side of the cramped closet looking for the items he needed. Tonight was the one time he needed to look his best. He wanted to look nice for Orihime. He wasn't sure if it was a wise choice to wear something that resembled his Espada outfit. Sure, the trousers were not as wide as the hakama and the jacket didn't have those long tails but both were white. He had a black leather belt to put with them. He didn't care; Orihime's opinion was the only one that mattered.

Orihime came out of the bathroom about twenty minutes later looking much less tousled and sweaty. She came into the bedroom with only a towel wrapped around her body and when she saw Ulquiorra, she gasped. "What's this?" she asked, walking around him to look from every available angle.

He had on a pair of black dress shoes, the white pants with the black leather belt. He put on a simple black t-shirt and then the white jacket on top. It was almost an exact replica of his Espada jacket with a high collar. He peered at her somewhat worried. "What? Don't like it? I can put on something else."

Orihime shook her head. "The only thing I don't especially care for is the t-shirt. I'd say ditch it but I don't want the hos at Aquamarine getting any ideas. _I'm_getting ideas as-is. I'd say screw it, let's stay home so I can rip that off of you but it would be a shame. I'd rather have the opportunity to drool all night and then… What is the idiom? Good things come to those who wait?"

"Good things do _come _to those who wait like good girls," he said with an impish smirk. "Should I put the stripes and the black lipstick on?"

She narrowed her eyes as she considered it. "Are you going tonight as C. Murcielago or as Mr. Cifer?"

Ulquiorra shrugged. He hadn't given it much thought. "Well since the public knows me as Murcielago, I guess as the standoffish and prickish artist."

"Then go for it, stripe it up. But you better powder that lip, I don't want to wear your lipstick."

"You didn't mind it when we were taking pictures the first time," he quipped before he turned to the dresser and rummaged through the box on top of it. He found the teal eyeliner and decided to forgo the black lipstick. Which precision, Ulquiorra soon had two slim lines going down his face.

Orihime hummed a growly little hum when he turned around. "There is my Espada," she murmured to herself before forcing her attention to her own closet.

She pulled out a few dresses and ended up taking one that was kind of a ruched white off-the shoulder dress with a sweetheart neckline. The fabric had silver threads woven into it in a striped pattern on the sides. It reached down to the tops of her thighs, a couple inches below her crotch. She slipped it over her head, following her Aquamarine no undies rule, then spun in a little circle for her husband. "What do you think? Is this one good?"

Ulquiorra eyed the redhead. "I like it," he stated. He looked at her through half lidded eyes. "We should hurry up before we molest each other again."

* * *

Yui was sitting at that small table looking bored out of her mind. "He hasn't been here in like, months," she complained. "Why do we keep wasting time trying to look for _him _?"

Emi sat with her legs crossed, rocking the top one back and forth, partially from nerves, partially to ease the ache she felt inside of her - she was always turned on when there was a chance she could run into him. She rolled her eyes and looked over at her taller, prettier, former classmate and answered, "You know why. I told you. It's all about the D. Well, and the bad boy vibe and the tragic 'please fix me' eyes. But mostly the D. If you could ever develop any game you would know. I can't believe you were working with him, stark fucking naked, no less, and didn't get any. You suck."

The model huffed and rolled her eyes. It wasn't like she hadn't tried. She had all but begged Murcielago for it. "I have class and I'm not some redheaded bimbo," she replied, in a snotty tone. "Inoue is not even model material. I don't even know why Pauletto chose her over me."

The short redhead glared at her companion. "She is a slut and probably sucks his cock. Speaking of, you still choking on that orange-haired guy's prick? He was kind of cute but he seemed like a whore too."

"Ichi-chan? He's okay but he's too, um, demanding sometimes. It's not like it is something serious. I don't even know why I keep him around. He doesn't fuck all that well." Yui said, planting her chin in the palm of her hand then pouting. "He's too hung up on Cifer's woman."

"Oh don't call that filthy whore his _woman. _ Why can't she just go back to whatever hole she crawled out of? Someday he'll wake up and realize… Wait. Did you just say your little fuck buddy is hung up on her? What the fuck?! What does she have going for her that is so special? She looks like a dirty bitch to me. You worked with her, what was she like?"

Yui bit her lip. Emi seemed to be in one of those moods where she was going to tear everyone apart. "She was surprisingly nice. Inoue smiled at everyone and was polite, even to me," she commented. "Ichi-chan says that Inoue used to have a crush on him but she seemed too desperate or something and he never entertained her advances. Then she got hung up on Ishida. Ichi says they fucked."

"What?! Ishida Quin? Markus' ex? _That _guy?" Emi was clearly flummoxed. She couldn't think of anyone more opposite of her Murcielago than Quin.

Yui nodded, her black hair swaying. "There was also some guy named Chad but Ichi doesn't talk about him much. Ichi says that Inoue had all these guys wrapped around her fingers… There was also a woman that Inoue led on."

"Huh," Emi thought, entertaining the idea of a threesome with her, Inoue, and Murcielago. Then she shook her head. There was no way she was willing to share. The artist she had managed to snag three times was _hers _. He just didn't know it yet. "Anyway, like a said. Total whore. I mean, yeah, I guess some people think her look is pretty or whatever but she lacks any kind of sophistication. I mean, look at me, Yui. Who would you rather fuck, her or me?"

"Ewwww," Yui whined, with a disgusted look. "You, hands down. Inoue would smother people with her boobs. I'm surprised that Cifer hasn't died yet."

"Ha! They aren't that big… I think. I mean mine are at least as good as hers. Anyway, sorry Yui, but I think that is one of Cifer's criteria; the big tits," she said, grabbing her own and shaking them up and down for emphasis.

The model folded her arms over her almost non-existent chest. "Well, big tits aren't a style in modeling. They're more for adult videos and prostitutes."

"Oh my god! Speaking of adult videos… did you hear the rumor about the sex tape?" Emi nearly squealed in delight, leaning toward Yui with sparkling eyes.

"Kinda… but I did see Cifer's latest show. Some of the images were… He was naked and she was in them," Yui said, blushing slightly. "Do you think they actually made one? You've had sex with him, there's no way he's that awesome. You were probably really drunk when you two fucked."

"Nuh uh. Maybe the first time. But come on, you've seen him naked. His cock is like… Fuck. And the way he moves…" she stopped and shivered. "It's a holy experience. Anyway, they probably did make a sex tape. She probably asked for it because she knows some day he's going to realize she is a piece of shit and she'll need something to fap to."

"I wonder what he looked like before all those trashy tattoos," Yui said. She looked around Aquamarine and then perked up. She pointed towards the entrance of the club. "Emi, look!"

Emi's head whipped around fast enough to get whiplash. "What?" She couldn't see well without her glasses.

"Fucking put the damn things on and look! He's here and oh my god he is fucking gorgeous-Oh."

"What?!" Emi screeched, fishing her glasses out of her purse.

Yui lwatched Cifer Murcielago looking like some marble statue. Everyone's attention seemed to be riveted on the man. She could see why though. He was absolutely stunning in that suit. "We should go," she said.

Emi got her glasses onto her face and her mouth dropped open. "Oh my…" she licked her lips and started to smile, then frowned. "That ugly bitch is with him. There is no way we are leaving. We can divide and conquer."

"You've had him though! You take care of Inoue. I'm the one who knows all of his dirty secrets." Yui bitched as she stood.

"Like what!?" Emi asked, following close behind. Despite her lack of integrity, she was still a journalist.

Yui ignored her friend for a moment. "I'll tell you what, if I can get a chance with him, I'll tell you everything about him I found out after he broke it off with Inoue the first time."

"Oooooooooh," Emi was intrigued. If she got enough dirt she was sure she could break them up again. "Alright, but just this once. I am the one who loves him."

* * *

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes as he saw Yui walking across the dance floor. "Incoming," he said to his wife, pulling her closer to him.

"Of course, it wouldn't be a night out here without some cattiness, would it?" she murmured before plastering on a fake smile for her former colleague.

The artist kept his face about as friendly and open as a stone statue. He sighed once Yui came up to him.

"Murcielago! Inoue! It's nice to see you both out! How was Russia and Mongolia?" Yui said, obviously forcing the cheer into her voice.

"What do you want, Yui?" Ulquiorra wasn't putting up with anyone's bullshit, especially today.

"Nothing! I just wanted to say hi-"

"Really? Didn't want to feed anymore information to Kurosaki?"

"I don't even talk to him anymore," Yui said.

Orihime smiled at her more broadly. "Don't be shy, Yui. He told me he was talking to you as recently as last week. Just because he and I have known each other for a long time doesn't mean I don't support your relationship," she lied smoothly.

The slim model looked flustered. "I don't know what you mean, Inoue. So, Cifer, I caught your-"

"You will address me as Murcielago, Yui." Ulquiorra looked down at his wrist as he adjusted the cuff of his jacket.

"Oh, are we no longer friends then?"

The green-eyed man glanced at Orihime, questioningly then back at Yui. "That is up to my w-fiancee." He had almost let it slip that Orihime was much more to him.

Orihime blushed and leaned into her husband. "Well, I don't want to tell you what to do, Love, but I want you to do what makes_ you _happy." she said with just enough inflection that he would be reminded of their previous conversations, then looked toward Yui. "Oh, I'm sorry we haven't made an official announcement yet, so it's not like you are out of the loop or anything, Yui," she said, drumming the fingers on her left hand against Ulquiorra's chest.

"Oh." There was a fake smile plastered onto Yui's face now. "Well, congratulations. Can I buy you a drink?"

"No," Ulquiorra replied. "In fact, I don't think I want your fair weather, ass kissing attitude around me or Orihime. Be gone, whore."

The model's mouth dropped open. "You are fucking rude, Cifer." With that Yui turned and stomped back through the crowd.

"What happened!?" Emi asked excitedly, not particularly disheartened by her approaching friend's distress, but more than intrigued by it.

"They're engaged," Yui hissed, close to tears. "He called me a whore! Inoue called me out! If you want all the dirt he gave me, I'll be glad to spill it. Fuck Cifer. Egotistical prick!"

Emi looked like a fat guy at a buffet. A kid at Christmas. A journalist doing an investigation with the spurned love interest of her subject. This was what she _lived_for. "I can try to snag him anytime. Let's get out of here," she said, grabbing Yui by the elbow and leading the way out of the club.

Ulquiorra watched Yui as she made her way back across the club and then he watched who she left with. "Fuck," he sighed as he and Orihime stood at the bar, waiting for their drinks. "Yui just left with Takahashi."

"Well, you wanted to give people something to talk about. They_ are _people." She sighed. "I know you didn't mean those two, but honestly, they are going to do their thing. They may as well do it now than later when we're less guarded," Orihime said, trying to soothe his worries.

"I should have expected them to be here. I'm stupid," he said with a shake of his head.

"You are not. Look who else is here!" she said, smiling at him, patting his arm and tilting her head to the end of the bar. Ishida was there with another man, gathering a bottle of champagne and four glasses, and presently coming their direction.

A sigh left him again. "Do we have to?" Ulquiorra asked. He was so totally not in the mood to deal with the Quincy on top of everything else.

Quin was loving life today. His friends got married, his fuckbuddy was now his boyfriend, nothing could go wrong as far as he was concerned. He met with Ulquiorra and Orihime and gave her a hug and a kiss on both cheeks then passed the newlyweds a glass and introduced his new boyfriend, Sebastiano, before clinking his glass to theirs and saying "Congrats all around, today!" and taking a sip. He didn't hang out, but followed Sebastiano out to the dancefloor.

"See? Relax. Nothing to worry about," Orihime said into Ulquiorra's ear, nipping at his earlobe, and then moving in front of him and starting to sway her hips to the music.

Ulquiorra downed the champagne and pulled Orihime close. "I see and I can't relax. You look too delectable in that dress and I kinda want to choke Yui and her friend until they leave us alone."

"Well one of those things is a big no-no," she said with a cautious laugh. "C'mon. I'll show you what this dress can do," she said, taking his hand and leading him out onto the floor. When they found a spot, she put one hand at the back of his neck and the other on his hip and began to move. She kissed him briefly and then closed her eyes for a moment, letting her head sway as she twisted her spine back and forth, trying to coax him to dance.

It took him a minute before becoming relaxed enough to dance, his hips rolling against her in a slow manner. "Does it do tricks?" he asked, bringing his face close to hers.

"The dress? No… but the wearer does," she said, swiveling her hips and turning around, taking his hands and putting them on her belly. She leaned back into him, her lips at his jaw and her arms reaching up behind her and around his neck and said, "See?"

His hands didn't stay where she put them. Ulquiorra let his hands drift over her stomach and up to her tits before he planted them on her hips. With how her head was tipped back, he captured her lips in a kiss. "I see. It's a good thing you're so damn short," he murmured. "The heels are nice."

"Yeah, you like them?" she asked, her ass pressed firmly against his front, causing her voice to sound a bit breathless. "Why do you like that I'm short?"

"Because I can pick you up and pin you against a wall and fuck you. You're easy to bend over things. You're easy to kiss," Ulquiorra said to her, his mouth on her ear. "Cute things come in small packages."

Orihime purred and then raised an eyebrow. "Cute? _Cute? _Oh I am much more than cute, Mr. Cifer," she said, grinding her ass on him. She would put the vision he had of her and Uryu dancing to shame.

Ulquiorra growled as he felt her body roll against his own. How long would they make it this time? One song? Maybe two? "Yes, you are much more than just cute, Mrs. Cifer. You're beautiful, gorgeous, talented, and a resting bitch face professional. Is that better?"

"A bit," she answered. "Although I don't know what happened to my resting bitch face. It seems to have packed up and left. I can't stop smiling today,' she said, still rubbing her ass on him and reaching up into his hair with both hands, causing her breasts to heave against the fabric of her dress, dangerously close to exposing her on both ends.

Ulquiorra's eye flickered down to her legs then back up her body. There wasn't much dress to begin with so when she did that he got an eyeful of her chest too. "We could snag a booth or find a dark corner," he smirked.

"We could… but I want to dance with my husband," she said into his ear as she spun around in his arms again, this time letting her legs straddle one of his and holding onto his back. "I hope someone is taking pictures of this, I want to see how hot we look together,."

"You want someone to see you grinding on my thigh?" Ulquiorra said as he lifted her slightly. "Orihime, you're going to get fucked in the bathroom if you're not careful."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," she answered with upturned lips. "Last time that happened was a good time, I reckon."

He grabbed her thigh bringing it up to his hip. "If we're discreet we could fuck right here," he murmured against her neck, still grinding against her. "I should settle down though."

She nodded. As it was her face was flushed and she was going to have to stop what she was doing soon or risk leaving evidence. She took his hand and led him to a booth. "It's an occasion, what say we "hold court" here for awhile and play celebrities?" she said as a man in black with a headset came over to ask if they'd like service.

"We could do that," Ulquiorra said as he slid in next to her. He looked at the man and said, "Gin and tonic please."

Orihime smiled and mentioned she'd have the same. A nice, cooling, _bracing _drink was what she needed right now.

It wasn't long before a photographer approached them. This one was rather polite, asking permission to take a picture of them and asking what they were up to.

Ulquiorra tipped his head but said nothing. He'd let Orihime answer the questions.

"Sure. We're celebrating today. I know we're usually standoffish but… It is what it is," she said with a grin, leaning in to Ulquiorra and posing with her left hand on his arm.

He made sure to hide the lower part of his face slightly behind Orihime's head and gave the camera a lustful gaze. Ulquiorra wanted the world to know that he had no intention of leaving the woman's side.

The photographer asked, "What's the occasion?"

"No comment," Orihime responded with a big laugh.

"Really, we're just celebrating our return to the spotlight," Ulquiorra said.

The photographer thanked them and left, and as he moved away, what felt like twenty different flashbulbs went off. A voice from the right called out, "Murcielago, what do you mean, return to the spotlight?"

"I mean I'm embracing my place as an infamous artist and model and I'm bringing my lovely fashion designer and model wife with me," He said, looking smug. He knew that what he said letting the cat out of the bag but he didn't care at that moment.

Immediately, flashbulbs went off like mad, and a cacophony of voices rang out with questions.

Orihime was slightly overwhelmed. She moved closer to her husband, nearly getting into his lap, smiling at the gossipers as if she was modeling, although her eyes revealed a bit of awkwardness.

He stroked her back. "Easy, lover. If Takahashi comes out with some article bad mouthing you, we can prove she's a desperate whore," Ulquiorra said in a voice low enough only she could hear.

Orihime nodded and thanked him, but didn't back off much.

"When did you get married?" a voice called out above the din.

"Today, we decided to do it."

Again, flashbulb madness. A million questions. "Inoue, are you pregnant?"

"No!" She shouted back, laughing.

"We're not ready for children at the moment, all in due time though," Ulquiorra stated.

Just then, Ishida decided to intervene. "No more questions. All further inquiries can go through his agent," he said, waving away photographers and sliding into the booth next to Ulquiorra.

"What the hell guys? Was that intentional?" Uryu asked in disbelief.

Ulquiorra shrugged. "Not really but it needed to be done," he answered.

"Well here's to transparency," the Quincy said, clinking his glass to the couples'.

Orihime's phone lit up. "Oops."

"What?" Ulquiorra asked, worry overcoming his face.

"News travels fast," she said, turning her phone to show Ulquiorra that she had an incoming call. "Maybe you should check your phone…" she had a feeling Hirano was already blowing it up.

Ulquiorra pulled his phone out of his pocket and glanced at it. Sure enough, he had dozens of calls, emails and text messages from his assistant. "Fuck," he uttered as he scrolled through the emails and then texts. One caught his eye but he closed the application. "She's mad."

"I don't understand. What does she have to do with it anyway?" Orihime asked. She was offended by the hostility from her husband's assistant. "She works _for you _. Not the other way around."

"Orihime, she's my public relations person and she's my personal assistant. Let's face it, I've made that woman go through hell and jump through hoops for me," he said. He tapped on an email. "Wait, she's not mad. She sent over the interview that we gave Itoh this morning. She says that people are going to be mad when they find out what we did."

"Well, they're finding out. Why would they be mad?" She ignored the fact that the person blowing up her phone was definitely mad, she just didn't care about Kurosaki's opinion.

Ulquiorra glanced at her screen. "I guess because of the same reason Kurosaki's leaving a bunch of voice mails on your phone? What does he want?"

"I couldn't care less," she muttered. "Not like I can hear them anyway." She sighed. This was not how she wanted this night to end. "Do you want to leave?"

"No, he's not ruining my wedding night," Ulquiorra said, pulling her into his lap. "Who is the boy toy, Quin?"

Ishida smirked and answered, "Sebastiano is a model who DJs at From Dusk once a month. I met him there a couple weeks ago. We've been inseparable since. What do you think?" he asked, raising his brows to the good-looking foreigner chatting with a small group of people near their booth.

"Well done, Quin," Orihime responded, trying to get back into a good mood. "He's cute."

"Not quite my type but as long as he's not Markus, I couldn't care less," Ulquiorra added.

"Markus is a bitch," Ishida said with a small sneer. "He tried to badmouth me to my vendor. Luckily my relationship with her goes back to our days in handicrafts club, Hime," he said with a chuckle.

"That's fortunate, but why would he badmouth you? I thought your breakup was mutual."

"It was, but not mutual enough, I guess."

"It figures that prick would do something like that," Ulquiorra remarked. He shook his head. "He pretty much did the same thing to me."

"Wow, now I don't feel as bad about what he did to me, either," Orihime added. "How's your show planning coming along, Quin?

"Pretty good, but I have a huge favor… Do I need to ask your husband's permission to borrow you for it? I have something that you would look _amazing _in...Please?" Quin asked, hands clasped as if he were begging for dramatic effect.

"You don't need to ask me for anything, Orihime's her own person," Ulquiorra said. "If she wants to do it, she will."

"Obviously, l just thought I'd try to be polite before trying to abscond with your lovely bride," he teased.

"Of course I'll help you, Quin," Orihime said with a real grin this time.

Orihime's phone rang again. "I have an idea, if you want to do _me_ a favor, Quin. Wanna take this call?" Orihime asked sweetly.

"No thanks," Ishida said, getting up from the booth. "My penis just called, it said get the fuck back over to my boyfriend."

Ulquiorra laughed then held his hand out to Orihime. "Let me answer it," he said.

"Okay," she said, a mixture of amusement and nervousness on her face as she handed the phone over.

"Orihime Cifer's phone," Ulquiorra said after he answered the call. "Can I help you?"

"Where the fuck is she? What did you do to her?" the shingami's voice hollered over the line.

Ulquiorra sighed then looked at Orihime before he rolled his eyes. "My wife is sitting on my lap Kurosaki. I did nothing to her. What do you want?" he asked in a flat tone.

"Fuck you, Cifer!" The line went dead.

He frowned at the phone and handed it back to Orihime. "Kurosaki seems dissatisfied with my answer," he said before letting out another laugh.

Orihime kissed him and said, "Thanks for dealing with that, Babe. I should delegate more things to you," she giggled.

"I don't think I want to deal with half the stuff you have to deal with," he stated with a smile. Ulquiorra kissed her neck and then her mouth. "But, I will tell Kurosaki to fuck off when warranted."

"Mmm, my hero," she hummed, appreciating the attention and kissing him back. "Do you want to stay at this booth or…?"

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the talk of the town," a tall man with blond hair and an annoying voice found the couple.

"Markus," Orihime replied, only willing to acknowledge him.

"Too bad no one is talking about you," Ulquiorra retorted. "You're already annoying me, Markus. What do you want?"

"Oh Murcielago, you're always so droll," the designer cooed. "I've just come over to give my congratulations to the happy couple. You'll be breaking many hearts, Murcielago. I'm sure no one will fault you though, Boo. Take what you can get, right? Well played."

Orihime looked _pissed._

"I'll tell you the same thing I told the rest of the sluts trying to hang off my dick tonight, be gone. And if you want to talk about people taking what they can get, Quin just got himself a new boy tonight," Ulquiorra said, his expression conveying that he was already bored with the conversation. "It's sad they'll let anyone in here these days. Do they allow washed up hacks to have booths?"

Markus huffed and left, intentionally spilling his drink on their table as he left.

"Oh that is it," Orihime growled, getting to her feet and making her way out of the booth. "Markus!" she shouted.

"Oh, what is it Boo Boo Bear?" Markus asked, sweet as pie.

"You left something at our table, I came to give it back to you," she replied in a sweet tone that mocked his own and got very close to him, before pouring her own drink onto the crotch of his trousers.

Ulquiorra had followed Orihime, just case the woman decided to do something really silly like attack the fashion designer. Then he watched what she did and stood there, biting his lip. There had to be some repercussions for her doing that. "Even wilting plants need water," he remarked before taking Orihime's arm into his hand and pulling her along to the entrance.

"Shit shit shit shit shit! I'm so fucking fucked!" she whined as soon as they got outside. " Why did I do that?"

"Because today is your day and that asshole tried to ruin it?" Ulquiorra offered. He started walking in the direction of their apartment but had plans on using flash step to get them home. "Honestly, he deserved it, Orihime."

"I know, but, I should have used my brain. On a scale of 1 to fucked, how screwed do you think I am?"

"Did you actually do anything wrong?" Ulquiorra asked her. "I don't think you're fucked at all. What's he gonna do? Send you the bill for dry cleaning? Woman, right now, you are probably richer than Markus. If you wanted to, you could do your entire collection if you had the time. He's butt hurt because he flopped and there are other people rising up."

"I know you're right about him, but I'm still a relative nobody. Either people are going to say I'm a spoiled brat who can't take a joke or, worse, just an entitled bitch with nothing to back up her mouth except her boyf— I mean husband's clout."

Ulquiorra sighed and stopped walking, pulling Orihime into a darkened alley. "So prove them wrong. Prove to them you're not a spoiled brat or an entitled bitch. You have the resources to do so. You made me prove Itoh wrong," he told her. "Prove Markus wrong."

Orihime took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right. Of course, you're right," she smiled tentatively and took another deep breath, finding his eyes and staring into them for several seconds. He believed in her. If he did, she should too. She exhaled and smiled for real. "You're right. You're also very smart. I love you."

"Now, Mrs. Cifer… Shall we go home and get ready for this trip to Nikko?"

"Yes, Mr. Cifer. Let's."

* * *

Ulquiorra woke early the next morning. He put on some comfortable clothes and then took his phone out to the living room. He scrolled through Hirano's messages and sighed. He should have seen this coming. He tapped on her name and then held the phone to his ear.

"It's early," she said, not bothering to greet him.

"No shit, want to tell me what the hell your problem is?" Ulquiorra was not in the mood to play games or bicker with her today.

Hirano sighed. "C'mon, there's nothing wrong. I'm just telling you-"

"When?"

"What?"

"You sent an email that said I probably didn't remember you. When?" Ulquiorra asked.

Another huff of breath. "I don't remember. About three years ago? It doesn't affect our working relationship. I'm over it."

"That's what your problem was? Jesus, Hirano. If I knew that then I would have told that jackass of an agent to find someone else to deal with my public relations issues." Ulquiorra snapped. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand. "I'm gonna have to find someone else. Orihime would flip her fucking wig if she even knew about this. In fact, I'm going to have to tell her."

Some shuffling. "What are you going to tell her? Hirano was pissy because she was a one night stand years ago and she's mad because I'm off the market?" Her tone was mocking, snotty and bitchy.

Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes. "Yes, if I have to. She has an idea of how many women I've slept with and that I don't remember all of them."

"Takahashi, not just once but three fucking times from what I hear."

"Are you done?"

"No, people are flooding your agent with calls. They want you and Orihime to model and give interviews. They want to know when she's going to have her collection done. Does she have an agent? If not, she might think about that. Should I just let your agent handle everything from now on? He's pretty incompetent."

His eyes closed for a moment. He had to admit that Hirano was efficient. She was a bitch and didn't take anyone's bullshit. "I'm gonna have to talk it over with Hime. I'll call you back once I return from Nikko. My answer right now would be yes but it's up to her."

There was silence from Hirano. "I'm not interested in you. I'm married. I have a child. I'm not looking to fuck anything up but I'm not mad because you're no longer single. I'm mad because I wish I had what you two have instead of a fucking contract."

"Don't know what to tell you," Ulquiorra said. "You shouldn't have agreed to it."

"Cif, how old do you think I am?"

"Dunno. Don't really care," he replied. "But I'll play along, you're twenty-eight."

"You're fucking cute. Add eight years to that," she replied. "I'm fucking old."

Ulquiorra whistled. Fuck. Since he saw that email, he had tried his hardest to remember Hirano but there had been so many people in his past that he couldn't match her face up. Just like Takahashi. "You're not old. I mean, I don't think you're old. I've got to go, Orihime and I-"

"You've got to leave by noon to get to Nikko on time. I know. Your hotel reservations are under your name. It's not a swanky place but it's nice," Hirano said before hanging up.

Ulquiorra sat on the couch for a moment before he got up and went back into the bedroom. Orihime was still asleep. He crawled back into bed and nuzzled her cheek. "Morning, Woman," he said into her ear.

"Good morning," she mumbled in a sleepy voice. "What time is it?"

"Early, I had to call-" He paused for a moment. "I needed to talk to Hirano. It was important. You know how we needed to talk about something?"

"What is it?" she was concerned now.

"H was a former… um… Let me show you," he said. He went to the email and tapped on it. Ulquiorra then gave Orihime the phone.

Orihime read it. "Is this for real?" is the only thing she said.

Ulquiorra gave a one shoulder shrug. "I don't really remember. It's like Takahashi. I don't remember her either. Hirano says she's not gonna fuck things up. She has her own marriage and kid to think about."

"If that is the case then why did she bring it up? That kind of opens the door to fucking things up, don't you think?" she asked, her eyebrows pinched. It was way too early in the morning for this bullshit.

He nodded. Why had Hirano sprung this news on him? Was it because she wanted to explain why she was mad yesterday? Ulquiorra took his phone back and looked at the email.

_You're such a damn idiot. _

_You just do things without thinking. _

_Hiring me? _

_I bet you don't even fucking remember me or what we did. _

_Just saying._

"I can fire her," Ulquiorra said. "I can find a new PR person and an assistant. Maybe find a new agent since she pointed out he's kinda slacking on the workload. By the way, we have more offers to model and give interviews. People want to know when they can see your collection and if you have an agent of your own."

Orihime brought the heels of her hands to her eyes. "I guess I better get one," she muttered, before dragging her hands down her face and looking at her husband, sighing heavily. "Hirano… She is… You know her better than me. She is fucking competent. It's not easy to find people like her. I am not comfortable with this information, but... Jesus, why couldn't she have just kept her trap shut? I don't know."

Ulquiorra sighed also. Just for once he wanted to enjoy some good news but that wasn't to be the case. It seemed like there had been nothing but constant drama since he came into Orihime's life. "She's not interested in me. I mean half the messages and calls I get from her is her threatening to kill me if I do something. I'm not interested in her, you should know this."

"I believe you, I just don't want this to become a problem, you know? I don't want to have to deal with an employee who wants to get in your pants."

"She wouldn't. I wouldn't allow that. She'd be pushed to the side just like Yui and every other woman who came before you. She was pissy about the fact that she didn't fall in love with her husband," Ulquiorra commented. "I think that's why she was trying to steer me away from marriage. Maybe her marriage is difficult; I have no clue though because she hardly ever talks about her personal life. I've seen her kid though. He's about two years old. There's pics of him all over her office."

Orihime sat straight up in bed. She stared at him hard. "How long ago was this encounter?"

"She says about three years ago? You can always call her and talk to her about this," Ulquiorra replied. "I'm not trying to cover this up or anything."

"That is the last fucking thing I want to do. Fuck. You're going to have to take a paternity test. That kid could be yours. She was cheating on her fucking husband with you. This is not good, Ulquiorra. She has to go."

Ulquiorra nodded. "Okay," he said. "I'll call her and let her know." He scrolled through the contacts until he got to Hirano's name.

Orihime reached over and stopped him. "Maybe we should wait until after we get back."

"Why? Why give her false hope that she has a job. It'd been easier if I can have my agent find me one or two people who can fill that role while I'm gone."

"Okay. But do you think she'll cooperate with the test if you fire her?"

He didn't have an answer for that. Instead he tapped on Hirano's name then put it on speaker.

"What now? Wait, let me guess," Hirano said, her voice coming out of the phone. "I'm no longer needed."

"Nah, before that I need to know something H," Ulquiorra said. He looked at Orihime, raising his eyebrow in a questioning way.

"What?"

"Is your child your husband's or someone else's?" Orihime asked. She didn't want any part of this but the sooner it was dealt with, the better.

There came a long and loud laugh from the other woman. It seemed like she chuckled for a solid minute. "You know, he asked the same thing. I kind of went crazy before I married him. Slept with a bunch of people. Orihime, ma'am, my son is my husband's. I can show you documents. But if this about the thing Cif and I had, don't worry. He's too annoying for me."

Orihime looked at Ulquiorra with kind of a defeated and confused expression, holding up her hands as if to say, "I don't know". She didn't want to have to replace someone as good as Hirano if they didn't have to. She could understand someone like Hirano wanting to sow her wild oats.

"When were you married, Hirano?"

"Two weeks after I slept with you and two other guys. You wore a condom… A couple of them I think," she replied. Her tone suggested she was still amused. "Rin is only twenty months old. Don't sweat it, okay? I'll let your agent know you need another PR representative and an assistant, then I'll pass any info I have to them."

"Ms. Hirano, wait," Orihime said. "I am not pleased with this revelation, obviously, but if what you say is true, and honestly, I don't have a reason to doubt you, it would be a waste to let you go. You are really so good…" she trailed off, not knowing what the fuck she was doing, knowing full well there was a good chance she would regret this. She looked at Ulquiorra with a pleading expression.

"Cif told me he would call me back when he returned from Nikko. You two should take some time to talk about it and think it over," Hirano said.

"You sure?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Duh, asshole. Yeah, I'm sure. You two need to think about this and I need to get to work," Hirano said and hung up without bidding them goodbye.

The artist looked at the redhead and sighed. "She doesn't leave any room for discussion, does she?"

"Well, technically she does," his wife replied. "Ugh… I think we should just let this sink in for a day or two before we try to talk about it; it's kind of a shock, don't you think?"

"It was kind of a kick in the teeth last night when I saw the message but then Kurosaki started his tantrum… It never stops," he said.

"You saw the message last night?" she was was not happy about this news.

He nodded and took a deep breath. "Didn't really sink in until we got back here what she meant. I didn't want to spoil things further."

"Ulquiorra… I don't like that. I don't like secrets. Do you want to listen to these messages from Kurosaki or should I just delete them all before hearing them? I don't want this to be something where you don't trust me either."

His forehead creased and he looked at her. "It's not a secret. I'm not hiding this. I didn't want to deal with it last night and ruin our day. Hirano's right, I do things without thinking about them. I do it because I think that's the right thing to do at that time. I should have just kept calling you my fiancee instead of telling everyone the truth."

Orihime's bottom lip came out before she could censor herself. "So you regret it? Because I don't."

"I never said I regretted it. I don't," he explained to her. "I think what we did last night was the right thing but considering the PR nightmares I've given her to handle, this is tame. It's not really a nightmare, but if that bitch comes out with another article, she's going to have to do a lot of backpedaling if she gets anything wrong."

"You just said— nevermind. Anyway, Emi Takahashi is a mental case. You can pretty much guarantee she'll spout off whatever nonsense comes to her mind. She can try to be as brutal as she likes. We'll just prove her wrong, right?"

He closed his eyes for a moment then opened them. "I said I should have but I wanted people to know the truth. I'm married to you. And okay, I should have brought up the Hirano thing or showed you the message last night but I didn't want to deal with it then. I wasn't trying to hide it, Orihime. I would never hide something like that from you. I've never tried to deceive you."

Orihime nodded and held her arms out to him. "I know. This is just...Well, anyway, good morning."

Ulquiorra wrapped her in his arms, "Good morning, Woman. How about breakfast and then we can make our way to the train station? Or we could shop a bit before we get on the train."

"Sure, let's get ready and see how much time we have.

* * *

They arrived at the station with about an hour and a half to spare. Orihime mentioned wanting to duck into a shop and to meet in another shop after about twenty minutes.

Ulquiorra wandered around. Things were going great, he thought sarcastically as he picked up a trinket and then set it down. All the drama from last night and then this morning? He was a piece of shit. The moment he saw that email, he should have notified Orihime of the circumstances instead of brushing it to the side. The only problem was that he didn't want anything else to ruin their first night together, which it hadn't but it had put a nasty mark on their first morning as a married couple.

Orihime had snuck into a discount jeweler's. She knew Ulquiorra was feeling kicked in the gut about this whole Hirano thing and she wanted to do something to cheer him up. She picked out two cheapy placeholder rings for him and herself. They were just plain, thin, silver bands, but it was the sentiment that counted, she thought. She was pleased as the cashier wrapped the rings in little velveteen boxes and put them in little cellophane gift bags. She was walking out of the store with a big grin on her face when her phone rang. Assuming it was her husband, based on the timing, she answered without checking the caller I.D.

"Hello," she answered it a sweet, intimate voice.

"Orihime?" a rougher, more anxious voice answered.

"Who is this?" Orihime responded, not recognizing it.

"It's Ichigo. Where are you?"

"What business is it of yours? Why are you calling me?"

"Orihime, please tell me it's not true. Please tell me you didn't marry Ulquiorra fucking Cifer."

"Kurosaki-kun, I am going to hang up. I asked you to respect my boundaries and my relationship. If you can't do that, we can't continue to have contact with one another. My husband is my priority. I can't be associating with people who threaten my relationship with him."

"Orihime, _please. _ You can't do this-"

"I can't do what? Be happy? Find someone who loves me as much as I love him? Kurosaki, you have got to do some soul searching of your own. I hope we can be friends again someday, but until you're ready to accept my marriage to Ulquiorra, we're going to have take a step back from one another."

"Hime, don't say that. You know I care about you-"

"I do know that. We've known each other a long time and I care about your well-being too. I hope you find someone who makes you happy. And I don't recommend you hang around with Yui. She's a bad influence," Orihime said with a little conciliatory laugh.

"Hime, she only wants what's best. Ulquiorra isn't right for you."

"Goodbye, Kurosaki-kun. Tell Yuzu I'm sorry to miss her. Take care," she said and hung up.

He didn't buy anything but a single flower for Orihime. He didn't even know if she liked flowers but the daisy was so cheerful that it seemed to call out to him. That was the only thing he could find that seemed to catch his eye. He stood out in front of the shop they agreed to meet at, trying to formulate an apology for how things started out today. It was a crappy way to start the day. His phone vibrated. A text message had come through.

_\- fucking dickhead._

It was from an unknown number. Ulquiorra didn't bother replying. He just deleted it. He didn't need or want more drama today.

Orihime came around the corner as she was hanging up the phone and saw Ulquiorra leaning against the wall with a dejected look on his face. She decided that since full disclosure was the order of the day, she would just get this over with.

"So, I just got off the phone with the orange menace. Hopefully he won't be bothering us again anytime soon," she said as matter-of-factly as possible to play it off as a minor nuisance that they didn't need to think about anymore. "I got you something," she said next, smiling and holding out the cellophane bag to Ulquiorra, keeping a matching one for herself.

Ulquiorra glanced at her face and then the bag she was offering to him. "I got you something too," he stated and held up the white flower with the yellow center. "I'm sorry, Orihime."

He didn't want to take her gift until she accepted his. It would only be right.

Her smile stretched wide as she took the flower from him. "A daisy?! I love daisies! How did you know?" she said, holding the cheerful bloom under her nose and sniffing its fresh smell, then sighing. "You don't have anything to apologize for, by the way, but thank you, this is so sweet!"

She looked up at him after a moment of fussing over the flower and added, "I think this is the first time I've ever received a flower. Thank you."

His face colored slightly and he smiled at her. He was such an idiot when it came to stuff like this; presents and gifts weren't his strong point but he was pleased that she liked the meager offering. "You're welcome," he said and then took the bag she offered him. With a deep breath, Ulquiorra opened it and looked inside.

"Now, before you get disappointed, these are just placeholder rings so that we don't have to have naked fingers, and I still plan on designing a ring for you, but I didn't want to have people asking why we didn't wear rings and I wanted to get them…" she trailed off her rambling when she realized he wasn't responding.

Pulling out the box that was inside the bag, Ulquiorra had opened it and stared at the piece of jewelry inside. He was floored; absolutely speechless. He had gotten her a flower while she had bought him a ring. What he gave her seemed such a silly gift. He took the ring out of the box, shoving it into his pocket then looked at Orihime. "Which finger?" Ulquiorra asked.

She held out her hand to him, "Give it to me and hold out your left hand, this is how they do it in the movies anyway," she said.

He handed over the ring and held out the hand that she said to hold out. "You may say that I have nothing to apologize for but still, I just want you to know I love you, Woman."

She blushed and smiled as she put the ring on his finger, then looked up at him and beamed. "I love you too. I got myself a matching ring, I hope you don't mind," she said, tearing open the cellophane bag that the cashier had so carefully tied up only minutes before. "Do you want to do it?"

Nodding, Ulquiorra took the small box from Orihime and opened it, taking out the other silver band. He waited for her to hold out her left hand.

She did and giggled. "It's kind of funny that we're doing this here, outside of the station," she looked down at their hands and grinned. "We're weird. I like it."

Ulquiorra chuckled. "Weird doesn't even begin to explain us, Mrs. Cifer," he said before giving her a quick kiss.

"I was thinking about getting myself another wedding gift, in Nikko. At first I was thinking I should really calm down on the gifting things to myself but we just admitted to being weird so I'm not going to try to disguise it anymore. Plus, this is a wedding/"retirement" gift… although I guess we'll see how that goes."

"You can buy yourself anything you'd like within reason. I don't see the point of limiting yourself when you've held back so much in the past," Ulquiorra said. He remembered how she was when he was an arrancar.

"Perfect! So you won't mind me coming back to Tokyo with the 1:4 scale T-rex costume I am having special ordered, will you?" she asked with twinkle in her eye, internally counting down the seconds it took for him to respond.

It took exactly five seconds for what she said to sink in. "What? What is that? A costume? What is a T-Rex?"

She was ready for his questions. She pulled up a ridiculous video on her phone of a man wearing a T-rex costume, the oversized head and neck flopping comically to the side as if it were dead, and riding a bicycle around a busy city street. "I just gotta be me, you know?" she said, biting her lip and trying not to laugh.

He rolled his eyes and then studied her for a moment. "I want to make a print of you in it then," Ulquiorra stated. "I'm going to turn you in this into a work of art."

She lost it, some quiet giggles turning quickly into uncontrollable laughter. "I'm kidding of course. I just wanted to see your face," she wheezed, not at all disappointed by his subdued response. When she calmed down a few moments later, she took his hand and said, "I do actually have something I want to get while I'm there but I want it to be a surprise."

"Hmph," he pouted. "Like I said, you buy whatever you like within reason."

"Oh don't be disappointed, you're going to like this, I promise. We better get going."


	46. Chapter 46

**WARNING - MATURE CONTENT**

**Chapter 46: Misunderstandings and Clarification**

Ulquiorra was glad he brought his camera along with him. He was busy snapping photographs while everything passed them by. The scenery he saw from the train was amazing. The buildings and trees, and just the life of the countryside. It was amazing how different Tokyo was from the rest of Japan.

Orihime hummed to herself intermittently, taking turns looking at Ulquiorra snapping away and taking in the sights, looking at her phone, and sketching in a small journal. She kept the journal away from Ulquiorra so he couldn't see what she was doing.

Occasionally, as they miles passed by, Ulquiorra would turn to point something out to Orihime but she seemed really busy with something else. Besides, she had probably seen more of Japan than he had. He had kept to his little corner of Tokyo, occasionally branching out to other neighborhoods but sticking mostly to Koenji and now Shibuya. "What are you doing?" he asked when he got bored of looking out the window.

"Designing," she replied, giving no further details. "It's a surprise."

"Ah, Is it another piece for your collection?"

"You could say that," she said, pausing what she was doing and asking, "Can I have Hirano's number? I want to send her a text. I need some information that she probably knows how to get."

Ulquiorra nodded and sent Orihime a text with the assistant's number in it. "What do you need to know?" He asked, becoming suspicious.

"Wouldn't you like to know… Speaking of information, husband of mine, you wrote on our marriage application that your birthday is December first and that you're currently 25 years old. Did Urahara pick that out for you randomly or is there some significance?"

"That is my birthday," he said. Ulquiorra tilted his head and looked at her quizzically. "I think Kurosaki's dad determined my age after he examined me."

"Huh. Interesting. Well, I need Hirano to try to contact a specialty vendor for me. If she can't do it, maybe she can at least put me into contact with someone who can."

A straight eyebrow was raised. "Is this surprise for me? Are you planning on doing something ridiculous for my birthday? I've not celebrated my birthday the entire time I've been alive, Woman."

"Oh you hush up. I wouldn't know the first thing about planning a big party or anything like that either, so don't go getting any ideas. Besides, we don't have that many friends," she laughed. "I do have a little something in mind for you though. No spoilers. But, since we're on the topic, is there anything you'd want or like for your birthday?"

He shook his head. Ulquiorra didn't want for anything. If he wanted something, he bought it.

Orihime had lied. She already had contact with the vendor she had in mind. She just didn't want to get caught by Ulquiorra sorting out the details. Plus, she needed to have a little side trip arranged at some point. She sent the text to Ulquiorra's assistant with an apology for the awkwardness and a promise to give some real thought to what they had talked about before sending her the information she needed and asking her to point her in the right direction for finding her own agent. She couldn't rely on Hirano's help for much longer.

When she was done, she set her phone aside and just watched Ulquiorra as he looked out the window quietly. Even though he was human now, he was still so otherworldly to her. A smile grew on her face as she found his hand and continued to gaze at him.

His eyes glanced at her and he briefly smiled before he turned his attention back to the colorful trees that were whizzing by them. "You okay over there?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said softly. "The colors are pretty, aren't they? Almost makes you want to give up the city," she said somewhat absently.

Ulquiorra looked at her and then back at the trees. He had thought about it, but leaving the city meant leaving the hustle and the noise. It was something he had come to depend on since he woke up all those years ago. "If we left the city, we could become irrelevant," he stated.

She gave a short laugh. "We definitely would. We could have a little place out here when we are old and irrelevant anyway. Or not. We can always just visit for the fall. I don't know about making plans for any place that has the huge kind of spiders they have out here anyway."

He didn't mind spiders. He often found them in the corner of the apartments he had lived in. He couldn't reach their webs in his loft so he let them be but before that he would catch them and release them outside. "What, like a place our kids could visit us?" he replied.

She laughed. "Yeah, if they don't put us in a home first," she shook her head. "If we ever have kids I imagine they'll think we are crazy, anyway."

"We will," Ulquiorra said. "One of these days… Maybe… Depends on how well off we are and if we've achieved our goals."

Orihime tsked at him good-naturedly. "Well off is not the issue if your bank balance is anything to go by," she said and laughed a little. "I don't plan on ever achieving all my goals, though. I'll always just keep making new ones."

"Kids are expensive," he said with a frown. That's what the Novelist had told him anyway. Ulquiorra sighed. Now was not the time to be thinking about Crofton. "Then we'll set a date, like five years from now."

"Is it that big of a deal to you? I didn't think it was," she said with a gentle smile. "I mean, I think having some kind of timeline is alright as long as you are flexible about it; sometimes things just don't go to plan."

Ulquiorra gave a snort of laughter. "Nothing I've planned for has gone accordingly. I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you. I wasn't supposed to come back to life. I didn't think I would ever find you again."

"You see? I'm always right." She smiled and danced in her seat for a second. "You avoided my question though. Is having kids important to you?"

He turned his attention back to the window. He never thought about children before Orihime found him again. They were background noise in his life before Orihime brought it up all those months ago. When they had their first conversation about futures, he had given it some thought but then dismissed it. All their conversations up to that point about kids had started fights. "It's important to you," he answered still avoiding the question.

"Uh huh. Sure," was all she said. He still was making assumptions about what she wanted. It was okay, though. Some things were better discovered over the course of time. Also, she had a feeling. Something about the ease with which he pictured and threw out the image of grown kids coming to visit them out in the countryside had a charming aesthetic. She could see that the idea appealed to him. So whatever, he could be that way. She wasn't in a rush.

Ulquiorra was still on the fence about the whole procreation thing. It was one thing to tell her what she wanted to hear but it was another thing entirely to believe those words. She made it a big deal; wanting a family and all that. He was still thinking that maybe, one of these days, he might agree to it. He sighed. He didn't need to think about this either. It would only cause his mood to deteriorate.

Orihime picked up the flower that Ulquiorra had given her from the place she had wedged it into on the seatback in front of her and kind of played with it for lack of anything else to do, twirling it in a circle and tapping it gently to her chin, smelling it, looking at it and comparing its summery nature to the autumn outside the windows. Anything to distract her from the increasingly dark tone of Ulquiorra's spiritual pressure. Finally, even the flower couldn't take it anymore.

"You know, you don't have to do this," she said.

His head snapped towards her. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean, you don't have to dwell on these things. It doesn't do you any good."

"Orihime," he said, staring at her. "It just bothers me whenever you ask me stuff like that. I've already answered you, then you ask and it makes me rethink my stance. I could tell you all day that it's important to me but I'd still have my doubts. I'm not ready. I may not be ready in five years. I may never be ready."

She rolled her eyes. "I know that. I'm not ready. I highly doubt I will be ready in five years, if I'm being honest. I don't know what the future holds for us. That's what I'm trying to tell you. I know you have concerns. I haven't forgotten them. But that doesn't mean you should shut yourself off from the joys of imagining all kinds of possibilities. There's no reason to pull a dark shroud over ideas that aren't even a distant possibility yet. I asked if having kids was important to you because you surprised me when you said the thing about having a place out here. I wondered if perhaps your stance had changed."

She sighed and continued, "I know I made a big deal about it that one time, but it was a reaction. I was reacting to your absolute denial at that time. The rest of the time this has come up, you have made a lot of assumptions about what I want. I understand you being afraid and everything but don't let your fears color your perception of where I stand, because I don't think you've ever actually known."

Ulquiorra shrugged. "It was a nice mental image. Imagining older children visiting… Maybe even them bringing their own children… I've been watching too much television or something, I don't know."

She chuckled and patted his arm. "There, there now, don't get so emotional, grandma. Do you want a drink or something? The beverage lady is coming; I'm going to get some tea."

He pressed his lips into a thin line and shook his head. She was always doing this to him. It felt like every time this came up, Orihime would make a big deal about it and then when his stance changed, she would discredit his feelings about it. That's the thing that made his mood dark. If she wasn't ready to have kids then why the hell did she keep harping about it in the past? Ulquiorra had to take a deep breath to keep himself calm and to keep his spiritual pressure from building up.

Orihime didn't miss his tension. She ignored the beverage lady. "Something else is bothering you. What is it?"

"Nothing," he replied. Ulquiorra looked at her, giving her a small smile. He didn't want to be dragged into this argument again.

She furrowed her brows at him, not at all hiding her displeasure. "I don't need to have children. I've already got one."

"Says the woman who overreacted and assumed my assistant's son was mine," he muttered.

"Hey, with the timing and what you said about the age of her son, it wasn't a very far stretch of the imagination. Besides, she could still be lying. I kind of want to see pictures of this kid," she shook her head, this was all beside the point. "Anyway, I don't think that was an overreaction. I asked a valid question, I was provided with a tentatively satisfactory answer, and then I eased off. What's the big deal about that? "

Ulquiorra pulled his phone out of his pocket and sent a text to Hirano. He was silent until his phone chimed. He held his phone out to Orihime. "There's nothing wrong, why do you assume something is wrong?"

"Because clearly something is. If you don't want to talk about it, say so, but don't lie and say you're fine," she said quietly with no joy in her voice, and looked down the aisle of the train.

He still held the phone out to her. "I never said it was fine. I stated that nothing was bothering me. I don't want to deal with it at the moment because this is supposed to be a happy time. You want to see Hirano's kid. Here." Ulquiorra gestured to the phone. "If you want, I can have her set up something so you can meet him and her husband."

"I really don't want to meet them. I really don't want to get any deeper into drama than absolutely necessary. You're the one who should be worried, though. Whatever. If you're not, you're not." She glanced at the picture. "He's a cute kid," she muttered and looked away.

He puffed out his cheeks as he exhaled and stared at Orihime. "Okay. Fine. You want me to worry about it and get stressed out about this entire thing, I will. I'll even get stressed out about the Takahashi thing. Is that what you want? Should I get stressed out about Kurosaki too? I'll text Hirano and tell her she's out of a job since you obviously can't trust me."

"What does this have to do with trust? And who do you think you are kidding? You are stressed about those people. Sweeping it under the rug is only going to make it worse. I don't want to tell you how to feel Ulquiorra, but I triggered something in you and it feels like you're stonewalling me now."

He looked at his phone, tapping out a message to his assistant. He wasn't going to wait a couple days, if Orihime thought she was a threat, then Hirano would be exiled. "You accused me of hiding things this morning when I didn't want to deal with it last night. I was tired. I was running on adrenaline because of your stunt with Markus and us getting married. I was pissed off because of Kurosaki and his antics, but I dealt with it this morning. Then when I mention something about an image that went through my brain, you start asking questions. You know my stance on kids," he stated quietly. "I don't appreciate the implications you've thrown out about Hirano's kid being mine. I've used condoms with every woman I've slept with except for you."

Ulquiorra sat there for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't like how you discredit my feelings when I think I want to have children."

Orihime was growing indignant through the first part of his tirade but at his last words, she felt like she had been stabbed in the heart. "I never meant to do that. I didn't think I was doing that. I'm sorry." She couldn't look away from her knees.

"You wanted to know what was bothering me? That was it. If you continue to do it then I may never want to be a father because it feels like you're toying with me when I mention it. You throw a big fit, and when I give in, you snatch the rug from under me."

"I'm sorry." She felt like she was being scolded by a parent. She didn't have a lot of reference, seeing as though she was an orphan for most of her life. She didn't have the experience of growing independent from that feeling either, so as it washed over her now, she just wilted. "I won't do it again," she whispered. She was feeling too guilty to notice that he had completely misrepresented her by saying she was "throwing a big fit". She had merely been talking.

His phone chimed and Ulquiorra looked down to see Hirano's message. It just said,"ok". He sighed. "Hirano's taken care of," he stated in a flat voice.

"What?" she asked in a more breathless whisper. "We were going to talk about this."

"We just talked about this. You want me to be worried about this and not sweep it under the rug, fine. It's been dealt with," Ulquiorra said, looking at her.

She shook her head. He was on the rampage. He was acting how he acted in Hueco Mundo. "You let me know, okay? You let me know when we are partners again. I'm not going to participate in this bullshit," she said and got up to find another seat.

Great. He rubbed his forehead with one hand, trying to stop the headache that was building behind his eyes. Once again, he had royally screwed up. He didn't know why the universe was so against him at that moment. His phone vibrated and he looked down to see Hirano calling which he declined. Then came the text message.

\- Tell Orihime to ask your agent where she can find someone. She could have asked you where to find an agent. I don't need her apology or kind words. It's one of the reasons why I never mentioned anything about this. I knew it was going to cause a huge problem for you and her. I've handed over all your stuff to my boss. He's male. No worries there.

Ulquiorra snorted. It sounded like an excuse to him. He didn't bother replying but sent a copy of the message to his wife.

Orihime got the message and read it. She didn't like the tone. She knew Hirano and Ulquiorra had an abusive style of banter but this seemed nasty to him and cruel toward her. She texted Ulquiorra back.

\- Maybe you were right about how to deal with her.

She sighed. She was going to have to take care of her own arrangements. Although at this point, she wasn't sure if her efforts would be well met.

\- I guess. How much longer do we have until we reach this place?

He stared out the window after sending the message. Hirano was useful, but she wasn't; her constant needling him and the snide remarks didn't help. Ulquiorra should have requested a different PR person the moment he met her. It was all hindsight though.

About five minutes until we have to change trains in Utsunomiya. Then another forty-five to Nikko.

He slightly turned in his seat and looked for Orihime but he only looked down one side of it. Ulquiorra wanted to tell her to go to Nikko without him but he knew that would probably cause more problems. She didn't seem to want to be around him. It was his fault, he knew this.

\- Ok, you want me to go back to Tokyo and let you do your thing up here?

-No. Is that what you want to do?

\- You gonna keep giving me the silent treatment or talk to me like my damn wife? Nothing has changed, Orihime.

"What are you talking about, "Nothing has changed"?" she asked, from the seat directly behind his.

Ulquiorra jumped, startled. "Woman," he muttered, trying to calm his suddenly racing heartbeat. "Nothing has changed. I'm still the same guy you know me to be."

'Then why does it feel like you see me as an opponent?" she asked, trying not to cry.

"Because it felt like you didn't trust me."

"I was pointing out something I didn't like. Would you prefer I kept it to myself and then kept thinking about it and letting it breed resentment and in this case, actual mistrust? I trust that you didn't remember Hirano. I trust that you always used condoms. I also know that condoms are not 100% effective. I made a logical step to ask a question. How does that equal not trusting you?"

He turned around fully this time and looked at Orihime. "I know you didn't like it and I fixed the problem. You shouldn't get mad because I let her go."

"Fine. You know, you're right. She was your employee, not my mine. It was your decision to make. Sorry. I was getting too involved. I was mad though, because we said we'd talk about it and then you did it without talking to me…. Or was it actually Hirano who told us to talk about it…?" She wasn't sure anymore.

"It doesn't matter if it is my decision or not. This new thing obviously makes you uncomfortable and I won't have it," he told her. "I also did it because I don't think Hirano told her own spouse about this."

Orihime nodded. He was probably right. And it was very considerate to put her comfort so far ahead of his own convenience. She got up and sat next to him again. "I don't give you enough credit sometimes. I'm sorry."

Ulquiorra took her hand and held it. "I would never keep things from you. I've never tried to keep anything from you, Orihime. Sometimes I push something to the side because I don't want to deal with it at that moment, but I would never keep it from you."

"I understand," she said, putting her head on his shoulder. "I do trust you though, more than you think."

"We're off to a great start, huh?" he murmured to her.

She chuckled. "Nobody said it was easy. If we weren't as wound as tightly as we have been, I'm sure it would have been easier though. We should give ourselves a break."

The artist sighed then nodded. "That might be easier said than done."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't give myself a break. Like saying I'm going to do it is easier than doing it," he said.

"Well how about I give you a break and you give me a break, and then we're at least halfway there?"

Ulquiorra lifted Orihime's face so that she was looking at him. "How can you give me a break when I'm already a crappy husband?"

She gave him a stern look, although her eyes smiled. "Oh you are not. You're the best husband I ever had," she said and then smiled at that. "You're not crappy. You protected me. You proudly announced for everyone to know that I'm your wife. Do you have any idea how that made me feel?" she asked with a dreamy expression.

"No?"

"Like a queen, Ulquiorra. Like a goddamned queen," she replied, kissing him softly, then nestling into his arm and squeezing his hand.

* * *

Nikko was beautiful. Orihime had the idea to send Ulquiorra off on his own with his camera while she worked for part of the first day. She wanted him to leave his phone behind and disconnect; they had their spiritual pressure to reach out to one another in case of an emergency.

"I can't come with you?" he asked. It seemed like they had smoothed things over but still, Ulquiorra couldn't help feel like she didn't want to be around him. Once they reached the hotel and after he had given his name they went up to their room.

"You can certainly come, I was just worried you'd be bored, and you seemed rather taken with the scenery. I thought it might be nice inspiration for your show in March. But we can go together later, if you want. I'd like that," Orihime said as she set her bag in their bed.

Ulquiorra thought about this for a moment. Hirano had sent him an email several days ago of places to see and things to do around Nikko. There were shrines to see and other touristy places to visit. He didn't know if Orihime would want to go to these places. But she was right, the countryside with its fall foliage and quaint buildings had given him some inspiration for his next show. "How about both? I could spend some time with you at your locations and then go sightseeing and then when you're done I can take you out. We could visit some places."

She smiled at him. "That's a great idea. Make sure you let me know if you find any place that is really amazing," she said with a wistful edge.

A small frown appeared on his face. "If I find an amazing place, then it will be the first thing I take you to, Woman. Remember, after you graduate and you're done modeling, we can go anywhere we want. If you want to return to this place, we can."

"Hmmm, maybe a delayed honeymoon?" she asked with suggestive eyebrow raise. "I would be down with that. I hear they have couples onsens here… Well at Kinugawa does, which is like the next town over."

His eyebrows shot up at that. He had heard of onsens but never had the balls to visit one. One of the people who had lived in the building where his loft was had told him that people with tattoos were generally turned away from them. Ulquiorra smirked at her. "Maybe we can do that. Maybe I'll take you to Thailand and we can get sand stuck in places it doesn't belong."

"Why not both," she said, walking up to him and putting her arms around his neck. "You won't get turned away from a private onsen. Besides, I have tattoos now, too," she said, kissing him deeply and pulling back to smile.

"I like the way you think, Wife." Ulquiorra chuckled at the new name he could give her. "So what's on your agenda?"

"For our honeymoon? Copious amounts of sex. For these two days? Just posing in autumnwear and spending my evenings in your arms. How about you?"

His eyes lit up and he smiled. Ulquiorra liked her ideas. "Waiting for you to be done with this entire thing, so I never have to let you go," he told her.

"I love you," was the only response she had.

Ulquiorra leaned down to kiss her. "Are you scheduled for anything later today or does it all start tomorrow?"

"Unfortunately I have a meeting at four just to get the schedule and to meet with stylists briefly. It should only take an hour and a half, so I'll be free for dinner," she answered.

"Did you want to stay in or we could eat out?" There was a smirk on his face. Ulquiorra was a bit grumpy that she had a meeting but he could do without her for that time. He had some phone calls to make anyway.

"I'm fine with whatever. I don't even know what this area is famous for. As far as I'm concerned, we could just get room service," she said, looking at the time. "I better go downstairs, this meeting starts in about ten minutes."

She was just going to play at being oblivious? Orihime had to know what Ulquiorra meant. Maybe their heated discussion this morning had dampened her desire for him. He sighed. "Okay, I'll try to be productive while you're gone," he said.

"Good. If you get all your things done, I'll make sure I keep something warm for you in case you want to eat out," she smirked as she got up to go to the door.

Hmph. He narrowed his eyes are her back then called out, "Woman," he paused as she turned her head. "I love you. Good luck."

"I love you, too," she answered, trotting over to him for a kiss and then leaving just as quickly.

As soon as the door shut, Ulquiorra picked up his phone, scrolling through his contacts. The first phone call he had to make was to his agent, then he needed to begrudgingly call Hirano to get the information of whoever this new guy was that would be handling his stuff and then he needed to somehow find a personal assistant.

He called Hirano first to get it out of the way. Ulquiorra sat on the bed and waited while the phone rang. "C'mon Hirano, pick up the phone," he huffed.

"What?" came a bored voice.

"There you are," he said. "I need your boss' name and number? Who is going to be handling me from now on?"

"My husband is my boss, so I just passed the information to him, Murcielago," Hirano replied.

"What?"

He could hear Hirano as she sighed on the other end of the line. "You must be deaf today. My husband is the one who runs this PR firm. Do you understand that? He's looking over the information about you and he will either take you on as a client or drop you."

"What?" Ulquiorra repeated. "Wait a minute! You never-"

Another sigh. "Murcielago, are you done? I have other people that I need to tend to."

Ulquiorra scowled. Why was she being such a bitch now? "Do you know when he's gonna call Hirano?"

"It takes him about a day or two to finalize things; so when you return."

He wasn't surprised as his phone beeped, letting him know that she had hung up on him. Ulquiorra shook his head as he deleted Hirano's number from the list and then scrolled down a few letters and tapped on another contact. When the person he was calling picked up, Ulquiorra decided not to mess around.

"Jay, I need you to be competent for a bit and do some actual work. I need you to find me a new public relations firm and I need a personal assistant. I need someone like Hirano but male. I want an all male team," Ulquiorra stated.

"Anything else? Any reason why you dropped Hirano and bad-mouthed me?"

Ulquiorra sighed. It figured she would try to start drama by spreading lies. "She was the one that said you weren't doing your job. If you could please do this I'd appreciate it."

With that the artist flopped back onto the bed and waited.

* * *

Orihime's meeting was dull and pointless. She ended up looking at her phone after about the first ten minutes. It didn't take her long to find out that she and Ulquiorra were the subject of gossip, especially her, and especially her little outburst related to Markus.

She sighed, deciding not to pay attention. Her stylist met her and started talking hair with her assistants and Orihime started to space out. Before she knew it she was dismissed and made her way back to Ulquiorra.

He had dozed off, stirring when he heard the door. Ulquiorra opened sleepy eyes to see Orihime come into the room. "You're done?"

She crawled into bed next to him and laid her head on his chest, "Yep. It was a waste of time for me, but I suppose Pauletto and his tech crew needed to organize everything so hopefully it will take less time tomorrow and the next day. Do you just want to stay in? I don't want to deal with anyone but you," she said.

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Ulquiorra nodded. "I don't feel like doing anything but laying here. This bed is comfortable. Was the meeting that boring?"

"Yes, I feel like I've aged ten years. Do I look older to you?" She asked wearily, tilting her face up to his.

"No, you look like that fresh faced teenager I met years ago. Minus the resting bitch face lines," he teased.

She scoffed at him. "RBF prevents lines. And my cheeks aren't as chubby as they were then, either!" she argued on her own behalf.

Laughing, Ulquiorra smiled at her. "I'm kidding, Woman. You don't look old. You look like a young woman. Did you want to order food or wait a bit?"

"Let's order so we don't have to deal with it later; we can pick at it when we want to. I know what I am hungry for though," she said, sliding a hand up and down his thigh.

"Yeah?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "What would that be, Mrs. Cifer?"

"Oh, you know, some of your kisses and a lot of your cock, the usual Thursday fare," she said with a giggle, before adding, "But maybe with a side salad or some bread this time."

Ulquiorra's eyes widened and he swallowed the laugh that would have come out of his mouth. Okay, so maybe he didn't completely ruin his chances at getting laid."Really?" he said, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Mmhmm," she answered, smiling and returning a kiss of her own to his cheek. "Oh and maybe some fruit for dessert."

"What? A banana?" Ulquiorra was enjoying this; laying there with her and engaging in this playful banter.

"Ooh, nice choice," she teased, "Or something a little more juicy, like melons and, um, oh… do you like pineapple?"

"I like your melons," he said before laughing again. "Pineapple? That's that yellow thing isn't it?"

"Yes. It's said that consuming a fair a amount of it has pleasant side effects," she said, waiting anxiously for him to either ask what she meant or recognize it.

Ulquiorra raised a questioning eyebrow. "The only side effects that stuff has is that it burns your mouth when you eat an entire pineapple in one sitting." He'd bought a pineapple before and then stayed away from it after experiencing this. "It has something in it that starts eating away at your body."

She laughed. Her poor, naive husband. It was a rare treat for her to have one up on him when it came to stuff like this. "Yeah, a lot of tropical fruit has that enzyme in it that does that, you can't eat too much of it in one go. But if you eat some pineapple, like with a meal, it doesn't hurt and it gives your, um, gives you a sweeter flavor."

"What do you mean?"

She blushed and answered, "It supposedly makes your cum taste sweet."

Oh. Oh. Oh. "You want to-you want to do that again?" Ulquiorra sat up and looked at the woman next to him. "I-You don't have to."

"I want to, from time to time. I like the way you feel in my mouth."

His brain seemed like it stopped functioning because all the blood in his body seem to pool in his lap. "Uh, I, um," he muttered, bumbling over words. In the end, he just nodded. Ulquiorra was no stranger to getting blowjobs. He liked them but the way Orihime had taken him in her mouth had been one of the most sexually pleasing things he had experienced.

Had she flustered him? The king of the perverted comments? She smiled to herself and started to stroke him over his pants. "What do you think, husband? Would you like some head service?" She wanted to see if she could make him squirm.

He shifted his body, enjoying what she was doing and eventually, he lay back down. Ulquiorra looked at the redhead while biting his lip as her palm put pressure on his dick. "I mean, I wouldn't mind," he offered.

"Oh, well, if you'd prefer something else, this hotel has a varied menu," she said sweetly, stopping what she was doing and standing. "I think I'll take a shower and you can order whatever you want," she smiled at him.

His eyes narrowed. "Oh no, Wife. Get your ass back here," he said, scooting off the bed. Ulquiorra took several steps towards her. He wanted her now.

Orihime grinned. "I like it when you take control, Husband," she said in growly kind of murmur. She stopped and turned to him. "Have you reconsidered?"

He reached for her, pulling Orihime into his arms. "Reconsidered what?" he asked, hands trailing down her body. "Eating pineapple? Getting head? Fucking you?"

She bit her lip and nodded. He was charged; his spiritual energy was lapping at her body already, causing a slight static sensation that was at once dangerous feeling and pleasant. She knew his patience was limited.

"Which is it?" Ulquiorra asked, as one of his hands reached between their bodies. He started pressing against her and moving his fingers in a circular motion against her clothes.

She gasped at the initial contact and then hummed as he caused her body to react. "All of the above," she answered, putting her arms around his neck and leaning back a bit, raising a knee to his hip and letting him touch her as he pleased. "You can keep doing that for awhile," she said, punctuated by a sharp intake of air.

He gave a small chuckle. "I can? I don't know if I will," he murmured, bringing his mouth close to her ear. "Maybe I should get you hot and bothered then walk away."

She whimpered and pouted at the thought. "You would do that to me?" she asked, putting on a wounded expression.

"Woman, you just did it to me but no, you know I would never be that heartless," he replied, increasing the pace of his fingers.

"Are you," she paused to whine, "saying I'm heartless? Ulquiorra, I would never leave you unsatisfied for long," she said, unable to keep her eyes open,

He attached his mouth to the side of her neck, a little below her ear and started sucking on the skin. Ulquiorra let the hand that was between her legs travel up her body so that he could grab her breasts. "I never said you were heartless but you can be delightfully evil at times."

She was done playing around. She pulled her shirt off and unhooked her bra, throwing them to the floor, then sunk to her knees, fumbling slightly with the button of his jeans and then making quick work of getting the rest of his fly undone, pulling down his pants and boxers in one motion. "Don't move," she said, taking his cock by the base and putting the end of it into her mouth, putting her free hand down her pants and continuing what Ulquiorra had started.

She lapped at the head of his penis and then started bobbing her head back and forth on it. She wanted this to be kind of hard and fast. She opened her dark eyes and looked up to his, not breaking eye contact as she worked his length, narrowing them only occasionally as she pleasured herself.

His heart felt like it leapt into his throat as he watched her, occasionally closing his eyes against the waves of pleasure. His wife knew where to touch him to bring him to his knees, if she wanted to do so. Right now the muscles in his legs were taut and shaking because he was trying to prolong this but with how she was moving and the fact that she was probably fucking herself was enough to erase his composure.

She could feel that he was about to break and redoubled her efforts, whining on his dick as she sucked and slid her tongue on it. As the first spurt of his orgasm hit her tongue, she opened her mouth and continued to stimulate him with her hand, letting his cum splatter into her partially open mouth, onto her lips, cheeks, and chin, dripping down onto her breasts. When he was done, she released him from her grasp and licked her lips clean, then wiped her chin and brought her dirty hand down to herself and laid onto the floor, using two hands to touch herself under her jeans.

He dropped to his knees and watched her for a moment before he reached forward and undid the fastenings of Orihime's jeans. He wanted to give her the same pleasure that she had given to him. "Lift your ass up, so I can take these off of you," he said.

She did as she was told, her eyes glazing over, but still not looking away.

After he got the jeans off her, Ulquiorra's hands joined Orihime's. He didn't touch her directly, but used his fingers to stroke and caress her inner thighs, coming very close to that patch of trimmed pubic hair. He smirked at her.

"What are you going to do? Watch how I touch myself?" she asked breathlessly, curious about his expression.

"Maybe," he answered. "I could join you but I'm enjoying the show."

She raised an eyebrow at him. If he wanted a show, she'd give him a show. "I'll show you. I'll show you how I took care of myself before we got together," she said, closing her eyes and bringing one hand to her breast, massaging it's soft fullness and smearing his ejaculate into her skin. With her other hand she rubbed her clitoris with two fingers, reaching down far enough with each pass to touch her entrance. She grew quiet, biting her lip and raising her hips on occasion. She alternated between holding her breath and gasping, and her cheeks grew redder and redder as she worked. After a couple of minutes, her gasps became more frequent and she grasped her breast roughly, choking out, "Ulquiorra!" as her eyes flew open, finding his, and she shuddered and came on her fingers.

He sat there with wide eyes and then his smirk grew wider until he was grinning. "Woman, that was-" Ulquiorra paused because his face grew warm. He knew if he had seen that before he would have hounded her even more. "It was hot. I think you deserve a shower now while I order food."

"Yeah… in a minute… I'm kind of powerless right now," she said in an embarrassed voice with a lazy smile.

Ulquiorra lay beside her on the floor and held her for a moment. "Maybe one of these days I'll show you," he said.

She grinned. I think you should."

"Pervert," he said. Ulquiorra knew full well out of the pair of them, he was the bigger pervert because he had jerked off to images of her months before they met face to face. "My wife is a pervert."

She laughed. "Aren't you lucky?" Then she asked, "Are you surprised?"

He shook his head. "I remember when Aizen assigned me to watch you. I knew what you did back then."

"But I didn't call out then. I was thinking it, though."

"I assumed you were thinking about Asshole or that other guy."

"What other guy?"

Ulquiorra's forehead wrinkled slightly as thought back. "Big guy. Stupid hair. Yammy hurt him."

"Chad?! Noooooo. No. Not my type at all."

"I don't think you had a type," Ulquiorra said with a smile. "You like mysterious men."

"That's true. But not indiscriminately. I have an aesthetic preference, too."

He looked at the redhead and then smoothed some of her hair away from the side of her face. "You're gonna keep that to yourself aren't you?" Ulquiorra asked.

She turned her face to him. "No, I like a fine nose, a sharp jaw, broad shoulders, and a strong brow. I like men that aren't too big. I like them with big eyes and rare, heart melting smiles," she said, tracing his cheek with her knuckle. "You didn't hit all those marks as an arrancar but with time you've revealed a lot."

"I never smiled-Wait I take that back, I smiled like three times as an Arrancar," he said, letting the corner of his mouth quirk up. "I smile all the time around you now. I'm going to get wrinkles."

"That's fine with me," she said, grinning. Your smile is one of my favorite things about you."

He raised his eyebrow at that. His smile was one of her favorite things? "Why?"

"Because it's adorable and it makes me feel like… Like everything is right in the world? Is that silly? I don't know. It just makes me want to squeeze you. And eat your face," she giggled.

Ulquiorra rolled several paces away from her and sat up. "There will be no eating of faces. What if I decided to model again? Speaking of which, did Pauletto tell you what he was using those images for?"

"No, he didn't. And I don't really wanna eat your face, it's just an expression. I just want to smoosh your face with me face and kiss you. Also, I thought you hated modeling."

Oh, just an expression. It seemed like there was more to the world of humans that he had to learn. He nodded. "I do hate it," Ulquiorra answered. "It brings in decent money though. It could be an occasional thing between shows."

"It's not bad advertising either; keeps your name on people's lips and mind. You're shrewd," she smiled. "I also have a thing for smart guys."

"I thought you had that figured out," Ulquiorra said. His mannerisms hadn't changed that much had they? He was the same Ulquiorra Cifer as before; he just felt things and had normal human reactions.

"I did, I thought you might like to hear it though. What do you like about me, by the way? I mean, it can't all be about T and A, can it?"

Ulquiorra thought about her question, bringing his hand up to his mouth. Did she mean while he was an arrancar? Did she mean after he became human? He decided to give both answers. "Back then, I liked how you held onto your beliefs even as I tried to destroy them. You had a backbone and you had the audacity to strike me. No one except Kurosaki, Harribel and Starrk achieved that, Woman. Now? You're still that stubborn female, who evaded my grasp until I almost gave up. You're strong-willed. You showed me the joy in life. I was and am intrigued."

"Hmm," was all she said in response, getting up off of the floor slowly. "I guess I have my work cut out for me," she muttered, making her way to the bathroom.

He followed her, leaning against the door, so she couldn't close it on him. "What does that mean? Are you offended? You already know that I think your beauty is so great that it took my breath away. Your intelligence is superior to most humans."

She smiled at his reflection in the mirror. "I'm not offended. I just know that I set myself up to be kind of a hardline character in your eyes. But really, I am just a big baby sometimes. I have to work at keeping myself from sliding into that and turning you off."

"You mean the woman who smiles at me and makes me happy? The one who gave a drunken interview about me? The woman who cuddles up to me at night? The one I watched cry inside of a room in Las Noches?" Ulquiorra asked. He sighed and walked up behind her, sliding his arms around her waist. "I love every part of you Orihime. The good and the bad. The hard ass and the ball of sweetness. You could never turn me off."

His words touched a tender spot and her cheeks flushed and her eyes got wet, though she didn't cry. She looked at him in the mirror and mouthed, "Thank you."

He gave her a squeeze and then left the bathroom to give her privacy. He sat down on the bed and thought about his words that he said to her. They were true. He had become curious because of her. He had found his heart because of her. He didn't think her soft side was a bad thing but there were stronger qualities in her. With a sigh, Ulquiorra ordered their food and waited.

She came out of the shower about a half hour later dressed in a hotel yukata. Ulquiorra sat on the bed, looking deep in thought. "Everything alright?" she asked, taking a seat beside him.

Nodding, Ulquiorra peered at her. "It's fine, just thinking about the next show and what I want to do," he replied.

"Oh, did you come up with anything?" she asked, but was immediately distracted by a knock on the door. "Oh, that must be the food. I'll get it," she said, standing and going to the door.

"I might do some prints. I might do some of those splatter paintings, I got a lot of them done, so I shouldn't waste them. Something from here might inspire me to branch into something else."

She smiled, "I will look forward to seeing it. Would you paint me something sometime?" she asked, setting the tray down at the foot of the bed.

"I've already started on something for you," he said. "I never got around to finishing it because of us breaking up. I had it put into storage."

"Ooh, I wanna see! And no excuses now," she said,'pointing to the ring on her finger. She opened the tray and examined what Ulquiorra had ordered. "Ooh, can I have some of this chicken?"

Chuckling, he nodded.

"Ulquiorra?" she asked between bites. "If I designed something with you in mind for my collection, would you mind?"

"Such as?" he asked, laying his chopsticks down. "What would you want to design with me in mind?"

"I had a flash of inspiration in the shower. I was thinking about what you looked like as an arrancar versus what you look like now and I was imagining you wearing different kinds of clothing. I could see reworking your arrancar uniform as a kind of formalwear outfit, but also as outerwear, like a raincoat. I imagined dressing you now… I mean, you make a pretty picture so it's easy to do."

Ulquiorra looked at his wife with thoughtful gaze. "I mean the mask is gone and I don't have the hole through my neck. Those are the most immediate differences I can think of," he mused. "The tattoos are a new addition. You want me to walk in your show then?"

"Would you? I think it would be really cool if you did. I'm going to also. I designed a lot of pieces to fit me because I didn't think I would have money to hire a lot of girls. Oh, Quin is going to too; he's great at runway. I need to hire some more girls but I'll probably just use students."

"I've never done runway, Woman. I don't know what to do," he replied. "You or someone else may need to teach me some things."

"Maybe a bit, but you are a natural. You just walk like you did through the halls of Las Noches with your shoulders back and your hands in you pockets like you own the place, looking at anything that dared to look back at you with disdain… mmm…" she was obviously picturing it in her mind, and found the image appealing.

Did she really look at him like that? Roaming the halls of Las Noches was something he had to do every day to get to where he needed to be. He had been minding his business when he walked around. "I'd still like to practice. Maybe Quin will give me pointers?"

"He would love to do that, fair warning though, he's a stickler. He taught me."

"I suppose I could try the friend thing out. I mean the man puts up with a lot of shit from me. I guess when we get home, I'll ask."

She smiled at him. "I love you."

"Why? Because I said I'm going to attempt to be friends with Quin?" He gave her a look that said that was the silliest thought ever. Ulquiorra gave her a smile that showed off that dimple on the right side of his face. "I should have attempted it sooner then."

She fell to her side and swooned. "No, you have no idea. I fell in love with you the first time you kissed me."

Leaning forward, Ulquiorra's expression became confused. "At the art gallery?"

"Yes," she said, her voice rising from a low pitch to a higher one as she drew the word out. "I acted like a lovestruck idiot afterward, didn't you notice?"

"I had to jump through all those hoops when you knew then?" Ulquiorra was baffled. "Had you said something then I would have stopped my ways then. I would have swept you off your feet. No, I didn't notice. I thought you were in shock."

"Well, I was. That's true. But when you kissed me, I knew I was fucked. There'd be no coming back from that. It rocked my world. I knew that I never wanted to kiss anyone else but you ever again."

Ulquiorra smirked. "You got your wish, didn't you?"

She hummed and smiled with a self-satisfied expression. "I guess I did."


	47. Chapter 47

**WARNING: Mature Content**

**Chapter 47: Knight in Shining Armor**

Orihime kissed Ulquiorra goodbye after she got up the following morning, a little before eight o'clock, and got on a bus with Pauletto's group to a gorgeous garden somewhere near a famous landmark. She was too distracted to really pay attention to where it was. She had a lot on her plate.

As soon as the vendor she had requested Hirano to call -before Ulquiorra canned her- opened shop for the day, she was on the phone with him and sending him pictures of design options. She had had this particular item on order for some time but it's creation was a long process and she was working on the finishing touches.

When she finally got ahold of the craftsman, she informed him that her design was finalized and that barring any manufacturing mishaps, she planned to pick up the item she had ordered the following day after she came back from Nikko. She was disappointed to learn that the item would not be completed by that time. She would have to make alternate arrangements.

Orihime hung up the phone and made her second phone call, this time to a tattoo place in Nikko that specialized in illustrative style tattoos, and booked an appointment for later in the afternoon; Ulquiorra had booked himself plenty busy that day and she was sure she would have a chance to sneak away. She was scheduled to be photographed in the morning and early afternoon and then again in the evening, after dark. Now pleased that at least one of her errands was sorted out, she breathed easily and chatted with the stylist working on her hair.

She had asked if he wanted to go but Ulquiorra felt that he'd be crowding her and generally being overbearing so he declined the offer. He cited that he would do some sightseeing around the city so that he could get some inspiration for any shows he had upcoming. Before they left the room that morning, he made sure he had his camera around his neck.

He saw her off and soon as the bus was out of sight, Ulquiorra decided to start walking. He knew that he could afford a cab but walking was a much better way to see this city. The app on his phone told him where to go first and that was a tourist information center. It was close to their hotel in the heart of the Nikko. The people there gave him the information he needed and once he was done he was off to the next place. There was an art gallery nearby that he wanted to check out.

Art lovers knew who C. Murcielago was in Tokyo. He wanted to see how influential his art had become and how far his name reached. The woman who greeted him as he entered the art gallery bowed and smiled at him. All Ulquiorra said was the name he was known by and the staff was practically groveling at his feet. He raised an eyebrow at this but accommodated them. He said he was interested in expanding where his paintings were shown and the the owner of the gallery took down the information she needed to contact his agent.

He figured Orihime would like that he was putting himself out into the world a little bit instead of the same areas in Tokyo. It was way out of his comfort zone but this could be a good thing. Ulquiorra left the art gallery and decided he was done with the business part for today and ready to be a tourist.

The walk through Suginamiki Park was nice and he got several great shots of the trees and other wildlife. Ulquiorra followed the GPS, which took him down streets filled with houses and businesses. It took him down more tree-lined streets. It even took him past a Buddhist temple, which he photographed, too.

It was nice, but once he reached a busier street that had questionable walking paths, Ulquiorra decided to use his flash step until he reached what seemed like civilization again. He saw signs for all kinds of shops and even a bookshop called Yoda Book Store, which made him laugh. He had heard the creative people in Koenji talk about a Yoda before. They called him a space leprechaun. When he reached a souvenir store, Ulquiorra ducked into the place and bought himself a small wooden play sword with the characters for Nikko burned into them. It'd be something nice to remember this journey by. Maybe he could find someone to carve their wedding date into the surface to commemorate their big day.

There were several shops he glanced into but nothing really caught his eye. He didn't know if Orihime liked sweet things so he didn't enter the two confectionary shops he passed. Finally after almost two hours, he reached what Hirano had called Blowfish rock.

It didn't look like much. Just a big black stone with moss growing on it. There was also a statue of some guy that Ulquiorra never heard of, but the green-eyed man raised the camera and took pictures of everything.

He decided to take a break and found a place to eat, picking several Nikko specialties; yuba and some kind of cold noodles. While he ate, he sent a text to Orihime with a picture of where he was at then he sent her another picture of himself and his food.

_\- This place has too many hills. Why did I decide smoking was a good thing? It's a lot calmer than Koenji or Shibuya._

Orihime saw his message as she was getting dressed after the early shoot had wrapped and smiled. As she got into a cab that would take her to her appointment, she wrote back.

_-That looks good! But not as good as you… Hello handsome ;) Anyway, yeah, this place has a nice vibe. Maybe we should go out tonight after my shoot. Also, smoking? When was the last time you even smoked?_

She sent the message and then a selfie of her winking at the camera with a smile from the back of the cab.

He had to think about that. He only smoked when Crofton had been around. Ulquiorra shook his head. The last time he had actually talked to Crofton and had a cigarette with the novelist had been the day he and Orihime reconciled last time.

_\- Awhile ago. Where are you headed? And sure, we can go out but I'm not walking anywhere. I've walked from the hotel to this place and that was almost nine kilometers._

Orihime smiled, she thought it had been ages since she'd tasted tobacco on his lips.

_\- No problem, we can call a car. I'm off for a secret surprise errand. Also, if you have some time, would you mind asking your agent to refer me an agency? I suddenly have like forty-five business inquiries for Orihime Murcielago. XD it's so different to read messages that begin, "Dear Mrs. Murcielago." If being married felt a little unreal before, it definitely feels real now! 3_

Orihime stepped out of the cab and into the tattoo place and sat down with the artist, telling her what she wanted and showing her a rough sketch that she had done. The artist took Orihime's sketch and totally reworked it, coming back with a simple, yet semi-realistic looking black and white depiction of a chess piece, with enough detail and shading that it would look at home in the pages of an antique book about the game, yet simple and small enough that she would be able to get the entire thing done in the time she had booked for that day. Orihime was thrilled with it, and was all smiles as she lay on the artist's table.

* * *

Ulquiorra did as Orihime asked and sent a message to his agent. Jay sent him an email with a list of agents and a note that Hirano would be willing to to represent Orihime. The artist sighed heavily. He didn't think that his wife would go for that, especially after the woman's snotty text message.

Leaving the restaurant, Ulquiorra continued his walk. He took several photos of some famous red bridge and then looked to see how far the Kanmangafuchi Abyss was from where he stood. Seeing some rocks, a gorge, and a waterfall was not worth the time it would take to get there.

He made note of the art museum he passed by on his way to Toshogu shrine. The place was huge and Ulquiorra was confident that it couldn't be that big, but once he saw that the place could not be seen from the street, the artist moved onto to his next destination.

The Buddhist temple was a nice hike up a shaded lane, and he made sure to take even more pictures once he reached the building. He only had a couple more places to stop and see before he wanted to go back to the hotel. The other places he wanted to check out would have to wait for tomorrow because they required either taking the train or a cab.

The ice arena was nice to see. Ulquiorra hadn't really taken any interest in sports. Fencing was nice but he had no clue where to go to even entertain the idea of taking it up. After that landmark he made his way back down to the Nikko Woodcarving Center. He paid someone to have their wedding date engraved into the wooden sword he bought. The man was happy to do it and it looked nice.

The last place he wanted to see was the Urushi Museum but Ulquiorra was growing hungry and tired. He looked at his phone and sighed. It was getting late in the afternoon. He could use flash step to get back to the Ivy House, where they were staying, but the artist didn't feel like exerting that much energy.

As he walked, he scrolled through his phone and sent Orihime a copy of the email from his agent.

_\- Sent you the list that my agent came up with. He's on the lookout for a new assistant for me and PR person. I'm headed back to the hotel, Tiny._

Orihime was in the room when she got his text, peeling off her bandage and was just about to start healing up her fresh tattoo using her shun shun rikka. She replied,

_\- Thank you! I'm here now; I'm not working again for another hour and a half so see you soon. Xoxo_

He looked at the GPS thing and then her message. The application was telling him it would take almost two hours to walk back. He scowled. It would take just minutes with using flash step. With a deep sigh, Ulquiorra looked around to make sure no one would notice and then blurred out of sight. He had to keep checking his GPS so in all it took him twenty minutes to make it back to the hotel.

Eager to see the redhead, Ulquiorra practically jogged all the way up to their room. He used the keycard and opened the door. "Hey," he said as soon as he saw her.

She looked at him and her face lit up. She was very excited to show him what she had done, and in the time it took him to return she had healed it nicely. She approached him for a kiss and noticed he was out of breath. "Did you run here? Need a breather?" she asked with mild concern.

He shook his head. "Nah, I used flash step to get here and I was already tired from walking around this place. There's a couple places I didn't get to see but were recommended. There's a really big shrine that takes most of the day to see and some water thing that I didn't want to go out of my way for," Ulquiorra said. "It's been a while since I walked that far. I mean the night that we got back together after the hospital I ran twelve kilometers."

"Wow… maybe it's true what they say about love making men grow soft," she giggled. "I have something to show you."

Sitting down on the bed Ulquiorra gave her a stern look. "I'm not soft, it's just, I have no reason to do all that physical activity but I might start running or something, just to keep up appearances. I have something to show you too. Do you want to go first?"

"Well whatever you do, don't bulk up too much, okay? I'm not into overly muscular bodies, although I'm sure you would make it look good somehow," she laughed. "You can go first."

He reached into the bag he had with him, Ulquiorra pulled out the wooden sword and handed it to her. Thinking about it now, it seemed kind of silly to buy a toy to commemorate this trip and their wedding.

She took the toy sword and smiled at him, it seemed such a lighthearted choice for him and she found it very charming. "This is so neat, it is a nice keepsake to …" she trailed off as she saw the carving on the side, and her mouth fell open. After a second she asked, "Did you have this done? Is this our wedding date?" She looked at him with wide eyes. If this is what she thought it was, then it was by far the most romantic gesture she'd ever seen in real life.

"Yes," he replied. "I mean I know it's-I thought it would be something-It's stupid."

"I love it!" she squealed, pulling him into a hug and kissing his cheeks. "This is the sweetest thing…"

"Whoa!" He was surprised by her actions. "Do you really like it that much, Woman?"

"I do! It's so thoughtful. I love you," she kissed his mouth and pulled back. "I hope you're not disappointed by what I've done now… it's nowhere near as original," she blushed.

Ulquiorra grew worried. "What did you do?" he asked.

"Turn around," she said. After he had, she undressed and stood at the foot of the bed in her bra and underwear. The underwear were low-slung enough to give him an unobstructed view of her new knight chess piece tattoo, which was just slightly larger than the 4 she had on her opposite hip. "Okay, turn around," she said, biting her lip in anticipation.

He did so and looked confused for a moment. Why had he needed to turn around for her to get undressed? "I've seen you in your underthings hundreds of times why did I need to-" As he was speaking his eyes traveled over her body. He pointed to her hip. "That wasn't there this morning. I know. You were naked on top of me."

She blushed and nodded. "Well…?"

Taking several steps towards her, Ulquiorra sank to his knees in front of his wife, studying the new tattoo carefully. He glanced up at her and then back at the ink. "Woman, did you… Is this for me?"

She smiled and nodded again, her face turning bright red as she explained, "Well, you said the queen represented me, and you're my sword, so I thought the knight was most appropriate…"

Ulquiorra didn't think he could fall anymore in love with Orihime, but somehow she kept surprising him and he kept tumbling deeper into this well of affection. He pressed his lips against the knight, gently before nuzzling her stomach. "I think you might be late," he murmured, hiding his face from her.

"So you like it?" she asked in a small voice.

He nodded. His eyes felt like they were burning and he couldn't say anything. It was rare that Ulquiorra felt so overwhelmed by something that it rendered him speechless. This was one of those times. He moved so he could place a kiss on the four on the other side of her hips, trailing his lips back across to the chess piece.

She threaded her fingers into his hair and knelt in front of him after a moment. "My heart is yours. My body is yours. I want you to see it and know it always."

Shit. He couldn't hide his face if she was on his level and with how her fingers were in his hair, he couldn't turn his head. "Woman. Orihime. Wife. Lover," he murmured. Ulquiorra gathered her in his arms and kissed her deeply, letting his tongue enter her mouth and slide against hers. He pulled away a moment later and looked into her dark eyes. "I love you."

"I love you," she answered. She couldn't look away from his bloodshot eyes. He was normally so guarded and unwilling to show her this degree of vulnerability. She questioned just how willing he was now, but he did not attempt to hide himself anymore. Her heart swelled as her fingers massaged his scalp down to the back of his neck.

"Do you have to go back?" he asked. Ulquiorra didn't want to let her go.

"Not for another hour," she answered, returning his kiss from a moment ago. "Will you come with me this time? I missed you today."

Would he_ come _with her this time? Ulquiorra was 100% sure he was going to come with her and in her. He nodded. "I don't really have anything else planned until tomorrow. More photos and sightseeing," he said, feeling her body. "But yes, I will come with you when you go back."

"Hmm," she smiled, inhaling his scent made stronger by his physical exertion of the day. "Husband? Will you kiss me here?" she asked, tilting her head up and trailing her fingers down the right side of her throat.

Biting his lip, Ulquiorra lowered his head and gave a soft peck where Orihime had indicated and worked his way up her neck. He varied the intensity and the length of the kisses and ended by sucking on the skin just behind her ear. He pulled back and smirked at her. "Anywhere else you'd like me to kiss you?"

"Here," she whispered, touching her collarbone and dragging her fingertips to her shoulder.

With a smirk, he followed Orihime's fingers with the tip of his tongue, leaving a wet trail across the skin until he stopped at her shoulder, biting it softy. He kissed the same spot before he cupped her tits, squeezing them through the bra.

She moaned quietly at his touch and asked, "Kiss me there too, lover?" her eyes nearly closed and skin flushed down to her chest.

Ulquiorra obliged, sliding her bra straps down her arms and unhooking the obstructing piece of clothing. He made his way down her chest, his tongue tasting her skin. His teeth nibbled on her too. When he reached her breasts, he captured one nipple in his mouth, sucking on the sensitive flesh not bothering to keep himself in check. He knew that if he was being too rough, Orihime would tell him.

Orihime writhed and whined under his assertive touch. She leaned back against the side of the bed, letting herself be more available to him. "Ulquiorra, what do you want to do with me?"

"What do I want to do with you?" He said lifting his head and staring at her, eyes half-lidded. "You know what I want to do with you. I want to make love to you. I want to fuck you until you're crying out and cumming on my dick. I want to give you as much pleasure as you can stand and even then I'm not going to stop."

The artist kissed his wife before he went back to giving attention to her chest, this time taking the other nipple in his mouth while his fingers pulled on the other one.

She was gasping already. She could feel an orgasm building with the attention he was giving her breasts alone. She wanted him. No, it wasn't just want.

"I need you. I need you now, _please _," she begged.

He could feel how hard he was but he wasn't ready to give into her. Ulquiorra stood and then offered his hand to her. "Stand, Woman." When she followed his directions, the man pushed her back onto the bed. He watched as she bounced and he practically pounced on her, his mouth brushing hers. "You will wait," he whispered to her.

She whimpered once, nodding her obedience although her body was screaming for him. "What are you going to do?"

"What do you want me to do? Do you want me to draw this out, milking every drop of bliss I can from you or do you want to come hard and fast on my hand, my mouth or my cock, Wife?" His voice was low as he talked to her.

A soft whimper left her throat before she answered, "I want your cock. I want it for as long as you can stand it."

He thrusted his demin covered hips against her. "You wouldn't get it for very long," Ulquiorra replied. "You're on my mind constantly. Every time I look at you I want to be inside of you. Just the sight of you gets me hard."

She whimpered again. The way he was talking to her was driving her crazy with need. She lifted her hips to grind against his. "Make love to me, husband," she demanded, her breath coming in soft, shallow pants already.

Lifting himself up with one arm, Ulquiorra let his free hand drift down her body until he was pulling the panties she wore to the side. His fingers caressed her nether lips and he leaned down, kissing her. "I could get you off with my fingers then give you my cock. I could go down on you and pleasure you with my mouth and tongue then give it to you. Or do you just want me to dick you down?"

A pained vocalization escaped her lips. "I want to come. I'm so close already. I want your fingers inside me. I want your mouth on me when I come the first time. I want your dick for the second," she hissed, pushing his shoulders down her body wantonly.

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he moved down the bed. When he was between her thighs, Ulquiorra used his hands to practically tear her underwear off of her body, that's how fast he pulled them down her legs. When she was completely naked under him, he slid two fingers inside of her, curling them slightly before he had his face buried in those wet folds of skin. His tongue was busy as he lapped at her clit, circling around it then pressing against the bundle of nerves with long sweeps.

Orihime had not been exaggerating. She was close, and at the first contact she was already starting to gasp, her head thrashing from side to side. She pushed her hips forward and back millimeters, unable to control herself more. In less than a minute she was crying out in a staccato chorus of "uh"s as she came hard, her knees coming up to her chest involuntarily, legs shaking. She had to push Ulquiorra's head away, afraid of screaming and frightening someone through the hotel room walls.

His face lay against her inner thigh and with a huge grin, Ulquiorra stared up at the redhead. "You didn't last long at all," he commented. "Sure you're gonna be able to take my cock? Do you think you'll be able to handle it?"

"You can punish me with it as much as you like, I'll always take it," she purred breathlessly, lowering her feet to the mattress and spreading her legs wide. "I'm ready when you are. I want to be dripping with your cum by the time you're finished."

Ulquiorra stood and watched Orihime's face as he peeled off the hoodie he wore, then the t-shirt. He observed how her eyes darted down to where his hands lay on the fastening of his jeans. He liked how she bit her lip as he slowly undid the button and pulled the zipper down. Letting the piece of clothing puddle at his feet, he inched the boxers down his hips and thighs. When he was naked, he smirked at his wife. "I'd have no problems cleaning you up afterwards," he stated.

"Same," she said, raising her hips and beckoning him with a finger, the other hand opening her wet pink folds to show him how swollen and ready she was.

He licked his lips before he put a knee on the bed followed by the other one. It didn't take him but a flash of a second to get between her legs again. Ulquiorra still didn't give into her. He grabbed Orihime's hips and slid his cock against her pussy, enjoying how warm and wet she was against his own skin.

She squirmed and thrashed against him, lifting her hips and trying to capture him with her womanhood. "Please, Baby, please," she whispered, then cried out as the head of his cock stimulated her hypersensitive clit.

"I like when you beg," Ulquiorra growled before he slid inside of her in one stroke. He didn't wait for her to adjust to the intrusion or start off slow. He promised her that he would fuck her and that was what he planned to do.

Orihime's eyes rolled up behind her eyelids as a guttural groan tore past her lips, finally feeling whole. She sighed as he moved hard and fast against her. This is what she'd been waiting for.

He held himself up, rolling his hips against her as fast as he could. He looked down at Orihime's face and smiled at hearing the noises she made. The heat surrounding his dick was almost overwhelming and it didn't help as she started moving her hips with him. Their bodies made slapping noises as their skin made contact. He threw his head back and moaned.

Orihime was being stretched to capacity in a way that made her pray it would never end. Despite this, she could feel the start of another wave of pleasure begin to build. She wrapped her legs around Ulquiorra's waist and hooked her ankles behind his back, using her legs to drive him deeper into her and make each thrust last just a fraction of a second longer. She growled like an animal as the tip of his cock made near contact with her hungry cervix.

All it took was him to shift her legs and he had her bent in half, fucking her hard. His thrusts were varied because he wanted to drag this out for the both of them. Her body had other plans, that much was obvious. She was tight but he knew things would only become moreso as her orgasm approached. "Fuck Orihime. You're going to make me cum inside of you," he said as he continued to move his hips. Although he had done it many times, just saying it made him want to do it more.

"Do it, Ulquiorra. Fill me with your cum. Fuck me until you're empty. Claim what's yours," she said, finding his eyes and looking into them with a hard, fiery expression and speaking in a nasty kind of domineering hiss. Any trace of modesty she normally possessed was long forgotten as her walls started to ripple around him. A few more thrusts and she would be finished.

He had to hold on but knew he couldn't, not with how her body was responding to his actions. Ulquiorra slid into Orihime's body then stopped. After a few seconds he pulled almost all the way out before pushing back into her. He repeated this several times before he grit his teeth and started fucking her in earnest. The tension in his muscles snapped as he started to come. He could feel his cock pulse as she drained him.

She came on him as he pumped her full of his seed, and she bit her lip hard, putting an angry red dent into in as she wept and choked while her body sucked every last bit of Ulquiorra dry. Her own orgasm left her ears ringing and her vision spotty. Her legs fell to the sides of his as his weight settled on her. She couldn't speak as her lungs pulled ragged gasps and tears ran down her cheeks. He had fucked her so properly that her hormones demanded a mental release as well as physical.

His breathing was hitched and Ulquiorra had to try hard to remember not to crush her. Lifting his head to look at her with a smile, the artist's eyes widened as he saw Orihime crying. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you? Are you okay?" he asked frantically.

She bought her hands to his cheeks and smiled before pulling his lips to hers and kissing him tenderly. "Everything is perfect. I love you. Thank you for choosing me," she said, cutting herself off with a tiny sob, then breaking out into a small giggle. "I'm such a dork."

Ulquiorra frowned and carefully extracted himself from her body, just in case he had injured her. "I don't understand; if everything is perfect then why are you crying?"

She pulled him back to her with a worried expression. "I'm sorry about that, I just can't help it. I came so well that it triggered a strong emotional response. I'm just so overwhelmed by how much I love you. That word feels cheap, love. What I feel is so much bigger than that small word can express…" she looked confused as she spoke, not because she didn't know what she was saying, but because she didn't know that this kind of heightened emotional state existed before now, and yet, as she analyzed it she was already feeling it start to subside and bring her back to a more normal, sustainable level of affection and her tears slowed to an eventual stop.

Ulquiorra could understand. He felt that way earlier as his eyes burned seeing her new tattoo. "You are my world. You've always been my world. You were my world in Hueco Mundo. You are everything meaningful in my life, Orihime."

She kissed him again and then buried her face into his neck. "I'll never leave you. I'll always be by your side," she paused, realizing how her words could be easily misconstrued. "Well, maybe like when you have to use the bathroom I might step aside for awhile," she said, starting to laugh a little, and then she broke into a loud, tension-breaking peal of laughter. "I sound like a mental case. Here you said the sweetest thing ever spoken and I say, basically, "I will never let you escape!" You must have thought I was nuts!" she wheezed.

He shook his head. "Woman, you have no clue. I never wanted to let you go… Ever. I mean I appreciate the bathroom privacy but other than that, I hate that you cannot be around me all day, everyday."

Her laughter died down and she gave him a soft, unguarded, affectionate grin. "As much as I can, I will stay with you. When we're separated for any length of time I miss you. I feel it in my bones. You are part of me now," she admitted, stroking his cheek. "I'm glad you like the tattoo, by the way. If you react like that every time I might get more," she said, her grin widening.

"I don't want you to get them unless you want them," he said. Ulquiorra looked at Orihime for a moment before sighing. "I mean I like your tattoos but I don't want you to feel like you have to get them because of me."

"I know. Each of these I got so far were for me to feel closer to you. Well, the last two were also to show you how I feel about you." She paused a second as her mouth twisted into a knowing smile, and added, "Also they just look awesome. This is some aesthetically pleasing work."

He could not argue with her on that. Each of her tattoos were done by skillful hands and eyes. Ulquiorra tipped her face up and kissed her slowly then sighed. "We should get our clothes back on. When do you have to be back?"

"Soon. Actually, can you get me a towel? I think you fulfilled your promise. When I move there is going to be a mess," she said awkwardly.

There was no stopping the laugh that came out of his mouth and he nodded while getting off the bed. Ulquiorra grabbed a towel out of the bathroom and handed it to Orihime. "Did you enjoy yourself at least?"

She guffawed and looked at him with a dubious expression. "Do you really need to ask?"

"No, but at times, I like my ego stroked."

"Well then I'll tell you that you literally blew my mind. I may have transcended thanks to your prowess," she said, glancing at him with a sly smile as she tried to clean herself up discreetly. "You?"

He had seen the mess when he got off the bed, so Ulquiorra thought that should speak for itself. Then again, he just made her tell him how good it was. "Best married sex ever, Wife," he said, bending over to pick up his boxers and jeans.

Orihime's eyes followed and her head tilted to the side with a goofy half smile. "You know, you have a very cute butt," she said, sounding not altogether aware that it was aloud.

"Really, Mrs Cifer? You have a very nice ass yourself," Ulquiorra replied before getting himself dressed.

"I know. I think you may have mentioned it. Also, best _married _sex ever? We have been married for two days. That's not a lot of basis for comparison," she complained as she walked to the bathroom to clean up properly.

"We've had sex six or seven times in those two days," he called out. "I think I can classify it as best sex ever."

"Says the man who's had more sex than any of the people I know combined," she snarked. Two could play at this game. "Be honest, have you _ever _had better?"

He looked at her for a moment. Ulquiorra felt like this was a trap. If he said yes, she could get offended. Looking back though, he couldn't remember much about his past flings. Shaking his head, Ulquiorra replied, "I don't think so and if I did, I can't remember. I mean you're the first woman who made me cum in my pants, you've got to be the best to do that. Out of all the times we've had sex, this time definitely ranks in the top five best fucks."

She rolled her eyes. Top five. Top two, more like. Well, at least for her. Maybe top three… He was right it was hard to keep track. But this one was definitely way up there, and for her it was probably the second best, after the first time. She finished up in the bathroom and came out to the bedroom and threw some clothes on, brushed her hair and threw it up into a ponytail. "Alright, you still wanna come with or did I wipe you out?"

Ulquiorra sighed. He'd said something wrong again and made her mad. "Do you want me to go? You seem irritated with me," he stated.

She was surprised to hear it and raised her eyebrows. "No, I'm not irritated. Just trying to remember which times were better than this one."

"If I had to rate them, I could," he said. Ulquiorra looked at the floor and then back at Orihime. "First time gets first place. This time. The time in the bathroom. The sex tape. The day I proposed to you."

She smirked at him. "Your memory recovers faster than mine does, that's for sure," she shook her head and then smiled. "Anyway, if you want to come tonight you're still more than welcome but I know that if I didn't have to go I would say screw it and stay in, so it's up to you."

He nodded. "I want to but I don't want to distract you. I mean I'm pretty sure Pauletto is still sore about me taking you back to Japan when you were in Russia."

"Nah, you're fine. Come on, I'm going to be late," she said and grabbed her purse.

The artist followed her with a smile on his face.


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48: Someone Has to be the Grown Up**

Orihime woke up the next day not feeling so well. It felt like she was getting a cold. She didn't say anything to Ulquiorra about it though; she didn't want him to worry. She left early, kissing him goodbye as he laid half asleep in bed. She took a decongestant that she bought from the hotel front desk and hoped for the best.

By lunch she was dragging and feeling miserable. She popped down to a drugstore and bought a stronger decongestant and some eye drops. When she returned, even Pauletto noticed that she was struggling and took it a bit easy on her.

Ulquiorra woke up an hour later to an empty hotel room. He sighed as he laid there on the bed. She could have woken him up, he thought, staring at the ceiling. She had to work. She needed this. Well, he mused, she didn't really need to finish the job, but Orihime had a reputation to uphold. After about fifteen minutes of feeling sorry for himself, he got out of bed, stumbling to the bathroom to take a shower and other morning things.

When he was dressed, he looked up the train schedule that would take him to where he wanted to go, which was north of Nikko. Finding that no trains stopped up there, Ulquiorra called a cab. In less than twenty minutes, he was headed to the Nikko Kinugawa 3D Space Dinosaur Museum. It sounded like a wild ride because space dinosaurs? He'd never heard of such a thing.

To be fair, when he was dropped off at the building he expected a much flashier place and those teeth that surrounded the entrance were threatening to him. He went inside, assaulted by huge images of prehistoric creatures and planets. After ninety minutes, Ulquiorra was satisfied and left the place, walking to his next destination. It took about ten minutes to get to where he wanted to go.

The Grand Maze Palladium boasted a huge maze and miniature golf. If only Orihime was with him he'd go inside but he just took a picture of the place to show her later. He'd been to a miniature golf course before with the creative folk from Koenji. He found it a delightful game. Ulquiorra was certain his wife would have fun playing such a game.

He only had to walk across the road to get to Edo Wonderland. This park was devoted to Japan's Edo period, which meant traditional building styles and samurai. Ulquiorra was really digging it.

Orihime was sent back to the hotel early after Pauletto decided she was getting too puffy-faced to model anymore. He was satisfied with the work anyway, and Orihime was grateful to have a chance to get some rest. She sent Ulquiorra a text before she passed out.

\- _Done early! I'm going to get some rest. Hope you're having fun!_

He was just about to walk to his next destination when he got her text. Orihime was already done for the day? Was everything okay? Did he need to worry? Shaking his head, Ulquiorra knew it would take some time using Flash Step to get back to her. Damn. He quickly sent a text back to her.

-_ Did you want me to come back? It would only take me around 20-30 mins to get a cab back. Are you sick? Is everything okay? Did you just get done early or is something wrong?_

He sent that message and then bit his lip before sending another one. What if she was sick? What if-

\- _You've been taking those contraceptives, haven't you?_

Once again he was probably overreacting but it was too late. Unless she had fallen asleep and not seen his text, what he wrote to her was going to probably cause problems.

Orihime was woken by her phone chiming. She was only partially coherent when she replied.

\- _I am don't worry just tired and stuffy. No need to swish back just gonna sleep_

What? His brow furrowed as he read her text. With a sigh, Ulquiorra decided to skip Tobu World Square and got himself a cab back to Nikko. It was a quiet ride back, and after he paid the driver, the artist walked to the hotel room and slipped inside the space silently. Orihime was asleep. Not only was she asleep. She was fully dressed, face down, mouth open, drooling and snoring as loud as a chainsaw. It was unnerving.

But it was cute, too. He picked up his camera and put it to his eye, looking through the viewfinder before snapping a couple of photos of her. Ulquiorra then used his phone to take some pictures of her and record a video. He smiled at the footage and decided since she was sick, he'd get her some soup and something else to eat.

He walked over to the bed and lightly shook her shoulder. "Hey, Hime?" When there was no response, Ulquiorra decided to leave her a note just in case she woke up and became coherent. After that was done, he left the room, making sure the door was latched properly. He asked at the front desk where he could find some good restaurants around the hotel and the man who was standing there gave him some suggestions.

After getting lost only once, Ulquiorra was back to the hotel in a little over an hour, arms laden with several bags of food. He had to take care not to spill the container of soup he'd gotten for Orihime.

There was a little trouble with him opening the door but when he entered their room for the second time that day, Orihime was still on the bed. It sounded like her snores had diminished in volume somewhat but he could still hear her breathing.

He had tried to be quiet but the rustling of bags woke her somewhat, and then the smell of food did the rest of the work. "Ulquiorra?" she croaked. Her voice sounded awful.

"Woman? Are you ill?"

"Yeah, I think I caught a cold. Make sure you don't get too close."

Oh, so she_ was_ ill. "I've not been sick in four, soon to be five years. I got you some soup and other stuff that might make you feel better," Ulquiorra said after he put the bags on the table and then sat down next to the bed. "Never once had a sniffle or a cough. I'll be alright."

"Don't take your chances, Love. There's a first time for everything," she said, sitting up slowly with a groan. "I feel like my head is going to explode."

"Could it be the altitude change?" He asked. Ulquiorra frowned at her words. "Are you hungry? Do you want to see if the hot soup will help?"

Orihime nodded and shuffled over to the table and dropped her body into a chair.

He stood and moved over to where she sat, rifling through the bags to get the food out. He'd gotten several dishes that he wanted to try. There was yakitori, yuba, cold soba noodles with several different dipping sauces, sushi, some grilled pork-ginger dish, and some manju buns, in addition to Orihime's soup, of which he'd gotten two kinds. There was the traditional miso soup and then something called clear soup, but Ulquiorra didn't think it was the right kind of soup because onions and mushrooms floated in the broth.

After he was done laying out all the food and handing her a pair of chopsticks and a spoon, Ulquiorra studied her for a moment. "Is this why you got done early?"

She looked at the food wide-eyed and then at him. "Are you hungry or what?" she asked with a small smile before answering, "Yeah, Pauletto prefers his models pretty and snot-free. Can you believe it?" she giggled and it sounded weird to both of them. "Thank you for doing this," she said, giving him puppy eyes.

"You would find this hard to believe, but I am constantly hungry since you brought me back from the dead," Ulquiorra replied. It was true. He ate normally before Grimmjow had killed him. He had scoured the internet to find out what type of nutrients that he would need to sustain life. After Orihime rejected his death, he took in more calories than was probably necessary but his body was still sculpted and hard. He was still lean and slim. "You're welcome, Woman. I would do anything to make you feel better."

"That's interesting; I know when I rejected your death I had to eat a lot; I made Quin go get me a lot of high calorie food. I guess now that you are powerful again you need it. And you are the sweetest. Is this clear soup!?" she asked, her puffy eyes sparkling in excitement.

"That is what I ordered but I don't think that is what they gave me," Ulquiorra replied. "Clear soup to me would imply that the broth had nothing in it."

"No it's okay, the broth itself is transparent opposed to a cloudy broth. This is perfect. You're the best husband ever. I'm sorry I cut your sightseeing short. Also right now I kind of want to use every pet name I can think of for you because you're acting so freaking sweet," Orihime rambled, her cold-clouded mind just allowing whatever crossed it to spill from her lips.

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow and gazed at the redhead. "I'm being sweet? What does that mean? I am not a dessert or a confection." He wasn't taking offense, it was just one of those times when he didn't know if he was supposed to take her words at face value or not.

She grinned at him, finding his naivete adorable. "To call someone sweet means the same as saying very kind. That's why there are pet names like sweetie, sweetheart, honey, sugar…" she trailed off as she tried to recall more.

"Ah, I see. They're like when I call you Woman, Wife, or lover?" he asked before taking a bite of the soba noodles.

"Exactly, but, those names are more like titles than pet names. Like when I call you Espada or Husband, those are your roles. But if I call you Sweetcheeks, it's more of a description of your candy-coated ass."

His brow furrowed. Candy coated ass? He stood up and twisted his upper body before reaching under his jeans to grope his own butt. "It's not candy coated," Ulquiorra stated. "However, I do like your ass very much. I like seeing it bounce off of my hips and I like grabbing it. It's soft and feels nice."

"Thanks," she replied, taking a sip on the soup. "I like your ass too, but mostly just for looks." She swallowed and sighed. "Anyway, I feel like you may be making fun of me, but I kind of doubt it, too. So… nevermind about the sweetcheeks or the petnames, I'll stick to the obvious."

"I would never mock you, Woman. I wouldn't try to humiliate you like that," the green-eyed man said. "There have been times, though, when I want to call you Baby or something but it sounds silly to my ears, so I've refrained."

"You can call me whatever you want as long as it's kind, and not another person's name. I don't want you calling me Aizen or something weird like that," she said, deep in thought. Apparently being sick kind of brought her back to that open-to-the-absurd mindset she had as a teenager.

Aizen? Someone else's name? Why would he even think about someone else while with her? "I know your name, Orihime Cifer; I say it enough," he replied. "I would never call you anything but your name or the titles I've given you."

She smiled at him widely. "I am still not accustomed to my new name. I think I need to hear it more often," she brought her soup bowl under her nose to inhale the steam, looking through it at him. "It is kind of not fair, I don't get to give you anything, and you gave me a _name _. I think it's a pretty important thing to give someone."

"You've given me life; a heart; a purpose in life and eventually I think I would be open to you giving me offspring," he stated, staring directly at her with a serious expression. While walking through Nikko he had plenty of time to think about the situation and what was seemingly a big deal. What was he so afraid of? Ulquiorra couldn't answer that question because he didn't know. All he knew was that he loved this woman.

She blushed and nodded. "I guess those are pretty important too," she conceded. She knew better than to "poke the bear" and react much to what he just said, plus she was exhausted and didn't have the energy to deal with a potential outburst.

She tilted her head, focusing on what she had said instead. "Now all my old friends will have to stop calling me Inoue. I am happy to shed that name, if I'm honest. I want my friends to call me by my given name, and if they can't then they can call me Cifer or Murcielago, depending on if they know you, I guess. I think only Quin and Tatsuki can call me Orihime."

Ulquiorra nodded. "I do not remember or know this Tatsuki, but I'm sure your friends will respect your wishes… Minus Kurosaki."

"Mmm, I didn't want to be the one to bring him up, but I think I'll have a fight on my hands with him. He'll resist. If I forbid him to call me Orihime, he probably won't listen, and if I tell him to call me Cifer he'll probably ignore me and keep calling me Inoue." She had a truly displeased look on her face, her brow knit and lips pursed.

The man frowned. "You could cut him out of your life completely. It is an option, should he resist."

She nodded. She had all but done that already. He wasn't easy to shake though. "That is easier said than done. Believe me, this isn't the first time I've tried," she paused to take another sip. "Anyway, enough about that. Do you want to leave town tonight or tomorrow morning?"

"I think it might be wise to stay until tomorrow. You need more rest," Ulquiorra said, with a small smile. Although she seemed to be more like herself, Ulquiorra wanted her to feel rested for their trip back to Shibuya. "The next time we come up here we can take in all the sights this place has to offer, if you would like."

"I would love that. Would you be my tour guide next time?" she asked, smiling up at him.

He shoved another bite of food into his mouth and chewed carefully before answering her. "I would be more than happy to do so but I require payment," Ulquiorra said.

"Such as?" she asked, raising a delicately curved brow and setting her now-empty bowl down.

"A kiss and a photo at every location we stop at."

"Awww, you're the cutest boy!" she whined, grasping her hands together over her heart. She wasn't teasing him either, she was totally serious. "You can have as many of those as your heart desires, Love. Except today, because I'm totally gross."

"You're not gross," Ulquiorra said. "You're beautiful, even when snoring."

"I don't snore all that much, do I?"

He shook his head. "No, this was the first time I have ever heard you snore." He smiled and brought the video up on his phone. "However, since I have this, I can hear it whenever I want to."

Her eyes widened in horror as she saw and heard what he had recorded. "Why on earth would you ever _want _to? I sound like heavy machinery!" She punctuated her sentence with three sneezes. "Ugh, I think I need more drugs. I wish I knew how to reject a virus."

"Finish your soup and then you can rest more," he said. He felt uncomfortable when she said the word drugs, but Ulquiorra was past that part of his life. He didn't think Orihime would partake in anything illegal. "We can leave tomorrow if you're feeling up to it."

"Yes Dr. Cifer," she said, "But I already finished my soup so I'm going to lie down now, I think, after I take some medicine. It's just a decongestant so I can breathe," she said, getting to her feet and shuffling to the dresser where a paper bag from the pharmacy sat.

He looked at the container of miso soup and then at his wife's back. She hadn't even touched it but if she wasn't feeling well he could understand her reluctance to eat. Looking at the table, Ulquiorra had eaten most of the food he had bought while they talked and he wasn't hungry either. "Would you like it if I lay down with you?" he asked.

"I would. I don't mind if you want to watch television or whatever, it won't bother me. Before we started spending the night together I often kept the TV on when I fell asleep so I wouldn't be as lonely, so I'm used to the noise."

Ulquiorra shook his head. He rarely watched television. It wasn't his thing really. Occasionally he'd watch something and try not to get hooked on it. "I'll most likely just scroll through my phone or maybe catch up on my own sleep."

"Alright. I love you," she said with a sleepy grin as she stumbled into bed. By the time he laid down beside her, she was asleep.

* * *

The next day Orihime woke up feeling significantly better but not 100%. Ulquiorra must have been up late on his phone, because he didn't wake up as she started getting ready for the day, showering and packing her stuff for the journey back to Tokyo. When she was done, she laid down next to him and started going through her phone.

She read the email from Ulquiorra's agent, Jay, and started drafting a letter that she would send off to the agents he had listed for her, except Hirano. Why on earth would that woman say she was willing to represent Orihime's interests? As far as Orihime was concerned, Hirano was only interested in looking out for herself… And Ulquiorra, to an extent. Not that it really mattered anymore, but Orihime was starting to suspect that Hirano was not as "over it" as she claimed. It was just too odd: the anger about Ulquiorra getting married, the timing of her confession of having slept with him, the bitchy text… it smacked of something a little more devious than just jealousy over the loving nature of her and Ulquiorra's relationship.

She sighed and put the thought away. She scrolled through her contacts, deciding it might be best to ask someone who wasn't connected to Ulquiorra's people and who was entrenched in fashion. She reached Aki's contact information and sent her a text asking about agencies she had worked with and for a recommendation. After she sent it, she felt the bed shift, and looked over at her husband.

"Good morning, Mr. Cifer. Did you sleep well?"

He had been awake for a good five minutes, just looking at her; green eyes had followed every move she made. When she spoke, Ulquiorra shifted his gaze up to her face. It was hard to believe; it was still surreal that this woman was attached to him for the rest of their lives. Being the rational-minded Espada that he had been, Ulquiorra thought that he had accepted reality but it continued to take him by surprise. "I did," he answered. "How about you? Do you feel better?"

"A lot. I'm not back to normal but vastly improved. No sign of a cold on your end?"

Shaking his head, Ulquiorra sat up. "Nope, I'm quite unaffected by your human germs, Woman." He smiled at her. "So are we going to be going back to the city in a couple of hours or did you want to wait until this afternoon?"

"I'm ready to go. This place is nice but I have a feeling we should head back sooner than later," she answered, a bit of tension visible in her brow.

"What's wrong?" he asked, a look of concern crossing his face. "What happened? Do we need to leave right now?"

"Nothing is wrong, that I know of, I just have a kind of premonition that the shit is going to hit the fan soon. But you know, I was never really gifted with this kind of thing. I thought for sure, to the depths of my soul, that Quin was once in love with Rukia Kuchiki, so shows how much I know."

He frowned and got out of bed. Moving to the bathroom, Ulquiorra looked back at her. "I hope you're wrong. I do not want anymore drama."

"I'm afraid that as long as you're in the spotlight, it's going to follow you to a certain extent. But as of today, I'm retired from modeling, remember?" she smiled. "From here on out I'm a designer. Nobody cares about designers."

He turned his mouth into a thin line. "I don't need to be in the spotlight. I can stop painting. I'm sure there are other things I can do. I could go work at a shop or I could-I don't know what I could do that would be mundane but I would do it. We could somehow push you into the spotlight."

She laughed. "Would you want me to? And come on, I could never outshine you. You are fascinating. I'm nobody." She paused and smiled serenely. "You will paint, Mr. Cifer. You will paint because it makes you happy. The drama will die down as we get older."

Ulquiorra sighed. "I'm nothing, Orihime. That was drilled into me as an Espada. People may think I'm something but I'm not. As soon as I'm done showering and we're packed we can leave."

"Oh you hush your mouth. You are everything to me, Espada. But yeah, let's get out of here before we get too comfortable."

* * *

It was exactly forty-five minutes later when shit hit the fan. Hirano called Ulquiorra. He was drying his hair, standing in the hotel room with just his jeans on. He sighed before he picked up the phone.

"Hey, Takahashi called me… Well I called her yesterday and she called me back. Did you know that-"

"H, why are you calling me? We no longer have a business relationship."

"Yeah well, you're about to have zero business relationships. Jay found out." Hirano's voice sounded smug.

"Jay? As in my agent, Jay? What would he find out-"

There was a huff. "You're dumb. Jay is my husband and I told him what happened."

"What? Why? How did I not know this, Hirano!?" Ulquiorra was shouting at his phone. "How the fuck-"

"Shut up Cifer. How did you think he found you a PR representative so fast? He operates two businesses. Three if you count the advertising venture."

Ulquiorra scowled. "Okay, so my agent, who is your husband, found out that we slept together years ago and that I don't remember jackshit about the encounter? Why are you telling me this? Why can't he contact me?"

"Well, he's evaluating your contract," Hirano replied. "I was just giving you a heads up. Takahashi also invited four people to an interview and it's all about you."

With that, his phone went dead. "Fuck," he muttered and sank down onto the bed.

Orihime looked at him and took a slow breath, "I think we should probably both be looking for new representation. And perhaps a lawyer. I got a bad feeling this morning and asked Aki for some other recommendations for agencies. Maybe you would want to come with me when I set up appointments with them? Anyway, I gleaned that your agent is her husband and that they are total fuckwads. What else did she say?"

"Takahashi is about to drag my name through the dirt," Ulquiorra said. He looked at Orihime then nodded. He never thought about a lawyer. He'd been with Jay for a long time and never had a problem until the man urged him to employ a public relations person. Since then things had gone downhill for him. "Might be a smart idea to find new people."

"You seem stressed about this. Let me handle setting this up. Quin can help with the lawyer; his dad knows those kinds of people. I'll make the appointments and you can just show up and pick who you like."

Stressed was an understatement. The entire career he had carved out for himself in the past four years could be crumbling to nothing. Stressed was not the word for what he was experiencing at the moment. This was karma coming back to bite him on the ass, Ulquiorra was sure of that. "Okay," he mumbled, exhaling a breath.

Orihime squeezed his shoulder and smiled at him. "Everything is going to be alright. These bitches haven't seen what I'm capable of. If they come after my husband I will shred them to pieces."

"Are we all packed? I think we should get going. I need to call my accountant and make sure he's not linked to Hirano."

Orihime nodded. "I'll check us out, you take care of that call."

It took him mere seconds to finish dressing before Ulquiorra grabbed his and Orihime's bags. He called the accountant and left a voicemail for the guy to call him back. He was probably being paranoid, but it was for good reason. If one bitch was hellbent on destroying him he needed to protect himself. When he was done, he found Orihime.

Orihime had them checked out of the hotel and on a train back to Tokyo in minutes. Immediately after taking their seats she was on her phone, making calls and sending messages. She left Ulquiorra to sit and worry. She knew he was going to do it regardless of what she did, so her thought process was just to take care of things and get the situation rectified as quickly as possible.

"Thanks Quin, I'll see you later tonight," she said, finally looking at her husband. "Things are in motion. How are you holding up?"

Ulquiorra shrugged. "Considering everything, I'm surprised I've not cracked yet," he said. "Why didn't Hirano tell me all of this when I hired her? Why did she wait until now?"

Orihime sighed. "That's a good question. I have a feeling she'll be blabbing the reasons to Takahashi. We're going to have to do some publicity stunts of our own. I was talking to Aki about it and she thinks her guy can help us out short-term, just to set us up with more interviews and photo ops. Also Aki says we should be seen out together as much as possible and present a united front, and you should book as many shows as you can handle. The more successful you appear, the more discreditable Hirano and Takahashi will look."

It all came down to work. He could see more sleepless nights for him in addition to endless days. "Okay, when we get back to the apartment I'm going to have to set my computer up and start working on more prints. Then I'm going to have to gather all my art supplies and take them to your studio space. After that, I don't know what to do really." Ulquiorra opened his mouth to speak again but his phone chimed. It was the accountant who had sent him a text. "The money guy says he's not affiliated with Hirano other than she's his client."

"Who do you think has more money? You or Hirano?"

"I honestly have no clue. Hirano seemed pretty no-nonsense with money. The times I met with her she was more practical when purchasing things. The business lunches I had with her were at everyday restaurants."

"Good. I saw your account balances. Your accountant will be loyal to whoever brings him the most business. I'm thinking that's you. Anyway, after you get set up in the studio, I want you to paint. I know you can do the prints and everything and that is great -they're very successful- but I want you to paint something that you got inspired by while we were here before all this shit happened. I need you to be closer to centered and I think it will help. In the meantime, I'm going to be your PR person for a couple days while until we find you a professional, okay?"

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow and looked at her for a moment. "You're going to be my PR person? No offense, Lover, but what do you know about public relations? There has to be a lot more to it than smile for the camera and don't fuck up in front of everyone."

She scoffed at him. "Ye of little faith. I'm not professing to be on par with a professional, and I am certainly not going to go coordinating events for you or making press releases, but I have your best interests at heart better than anyone, and I can shuffle and juggle people for a couple days in a way that should keep them placated until we can find you a real person. I used to be very popular, I'll have you know. I know how to turn people down in a way that makes them feel good about themselves!"

"Thank you woman," Ulquiorra said and kissed her temple. "It's amazing what women can do. You jumped into action and all I could think about was how to shut down and not deal with this."

"Yeah… they can also be completely deceitful like Hirano, so let's not lump us all together in one pile. Anyway, you would protect me. I'm here to protect you. Remember?"

His head nodded up and down. "I am your Espada and I will always protect you," he replied. Ulquiorra was grateful for the woman sitting beside him. "I know not all women are like that but you are the only woman that matters to me and you can do amazing things."

She grinned at him. "Now you just focus on your creative energy," she said, squeezing his hand with one hand and looking back down to her phone with the other.

* * *

Orihime had been on and off the phone all the way back to their apartment. When they arrived, she was pooped. She had forgotten that she was sick. She told Ulquiorra to get his stuff ready and that she had called a truck to help move it, and then went to lie down in Quin's room. He wasn't there, and she didn't want Ulquiorra to worry about her on top of what he was already worried about. She told Ulquiorra that she was going to be using the PC in that room.

The only things that needed to be moved were at his storage unit. He knew where it was, but he didn't think they needed an entire vehicle to move it. When he got back from moving his supplies, easels and canvases into Orihime's studio space at the college, Ulquiorra walked into their bedroom and frowned; Orihime wasn't in there. He had brought back one painting with him and he set that against the bed. Maybe they could hang his famous piece of art on the wall.

Sighing, the artist walked over to Ishida's door and knocked. There was no answer, so he opened the door. All he saw was Orihime's legs dangling off the side of the bed. It looked like she had sat down and then just slumped over. Even her phone was still in her hand. Ulquiorra did not like this. His wife had run herself ragged just trying to sort his mess out. Gently, he picked her up, cradling Orihime to his chest, and walked back to their bedroom. He tucked her into the bed and then decided where he would set up his own computer and drawing tablet.

About five minutes later, his wife's phone started ringing again from the place he had set it on the bedside table. Orihime's head popped up off the mattress and she answered automatically, "Orihime Murcielago speaking, can I help you?" Her eyes remained mostly closed and she looked like a sleepwalker, but her voice sounded completely coherent.

"Oh yes, of course he would love to consider your offer. Yes, if you wouldn't mind sending an email with the details, I'll have someone return your call shortly. Right, it's U-C-O-M. M as in mustard, right. Orihime at U-com dot com. Uh huh. Ha ha, yes we did. Thank you, yes, married life is treating us well. Ha ha, not anytime soon but eventually. Thank you, you take care." She hung up the phone and plopped down again.

"You okay?" he asked from where he sat. Ulquiorra was trying to set his P.C. up on her dresser but there wasn't much room. He turned and looked at the prone woman. "I'm going to need a new desk for this place."

"Yeah," Orihime said, her voice suddenly sleepy. "Did you bring me in here? I'm sorry I fell asleep…" she looked around her room; he was right; there wasn't really anywhere good to set up his computer. "We can go get one," she offered.

He nodded. "I came home after transferring my stuff from the storage place to your studio space and you weren't in here. You must have been tired or not fully recovered from being ill." Ulquiorra left his chair and walked over to the bed, giving Orihime's forehead a kiss. "You should sleep some more. This being sick thing is not good. We can worry about a desk another day. Do you want me to get you more soup? Some tea? Is there some medicine I can buy?"

"Thank you, you are sweet. There's some canned soup in the cupboard so there's no need to go out. I lined up some interviews for you tomorrow with prospective agents. I sent you an email with an invitation link to a schedule and also with our new "business email". I set up a place marker website so it doesn't look like you are between representation; I didn't think that would be good for your image. Your password is Espada04!," she said with a little smirk.

"I already have an email," he stated, the words sounding like a whine. "This is too much for me to think about. It's-It's- It is overwhelming. I don't know what Hirano's intentions were, nor do I know if Jay is actually going to drop me. At this point it is speculation. We don't even know what Takahashi is going to do. We are being paranoid."

Truth be told, Ulquiorra had no clue what Jay or Hirano did for him on a daily basis. He had no clue what events he had coming up or who to talk to. This all seemed very overwhelming and a demanding pursuit for wealth.

"You can't trust Jay. He's going to screw you the first chance he gets. Imagine if Kurosaki was your agent. It's about the same level of love between the two of you at this point. You fucked his wife. There are going to be consequences. Do you just want me to pick someone out for you?" she asked, exasperation in her following sigh.

She got up and went to the kitchen for some water, not making it in time before a coughing fit took her over. She got the water and the medicine she already had in her purse and took some. If Ulquiorra was going to be a baby about this, she couldn't afford to be sick.

He followed after her. "I didn't pick Jay. He was recommended to me from a gallery owner," Ulquiorra stated. "It was convenient at the time and I had no clue what I was doing at that moment. All I knew was that people wanted my paintings and to have me show my art in their businesses."

She nodded. "I'll handle it." She picked up her phone and started making calls.

"I'm sorry I'm useless with this kind of stuff. I am so used to things being taken care of that I never paid attention to the process." Ulquiorra stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I can go get you more medicine or some food. That canned crap can't be good."

She smiled at him with the phone to her ear and nodded, raising up on her toes to kiss his cheek, then started speaking with whomever picked up the phone.

Ulquiorra nodded and went to the genkan to put on his shoes. "I'll be back soon, Orihime," he called out before opening the door and exiting the apartment.

* * *

The next day Orihime was up early and out the door in a skirt suit and a surgical mask. She had eleven appointments lined up. Her purse was full of energy drinks and decongestants. She said a small prayer to her brother for stamina as she walked down the street.

The first several meetings did not go well. The prospective agents and assistants were too relaxed; too small time. She knew what Ulquiorra needed was someone like Hirano. It wasn't until after lunch that she met with someone she thought had potential.

* * *

Ulquiorra was inside of the studio space Orihime was allowed at the college. He stood in front of three blank canvases waiting for inspiration to strike. Nothing had come up. The fourth easel held a sheet covered painting that he didn't want anyone to see. It was going to be Orihime's graduation present. He had _The Woman and the Moon _; Orihime needed _The Man and the Sun_. Well she probably didn't need it, but he wanted to give it to her. She wanted him to paint something for her. He'd tried to recreate the abstract art that she liked so much but everytime he tried it didn't look right and he ended up covering the canvas with white paint.

He probably would have sat there for the rest of the day until Orihime called him. "Hello, Woman. Are you feeling better?"

"No, I feel like the walking dead, but the good news is I've found you a new assistant. I'm sending him over to the college to meet with you in twenty minutes. If you like him he can start right away."

A man? Oh, his wife probably screened just males because of how many sexual partners he had in the time he had been alive. Ulquiorra probably couldn't spit without hitting a woman in Shinjuku, Shibuya or Koenji that he hadn't slept with. He sighed. "Tell me about him?"

"Well, he's young, but really motivated. He worked as a production assistant before this and a second assistant to a talent handler. His references checked out. He looks nice and will represent you well. He's a little reminiscent of Quin but his skin is darker and his hair is dyed gray. His name is Hiro Yamada. Be nice, I really like him, okay? Even if you decide not to hire him I already kind of agreed to go to this yoga class he teaches."

"Like him? As in the way you like me?" The panic was evident in his voice.

She blew a raspberry and laughed. "Of course not, don't be ridiculous. You are my one and only, husband. I like him the way I like my female friends."

Relief spread through him. Had she given a different answer, Ulquiorra thought that he would start screaming. He did not want more stress. "Okay, send him over. I'll meet with him," he said.

"Good. He's on his way. Don't be surprised by his voice. I love you! I'm on my way into another meeting! Bye!" She hung up.

The door of the studio was rapped eighteen minutes later. "Mr. Murcielago? Hiro Yamada here. Mrs. Murcielago sent me over…" a somewhat effeminate voice sounded through the door.

Ulquiorra turned around and furrowed his brows. He had been expecting someone totally different to walk into the room. He stood up from his stool and stared at the other man. "Drop the mister," he stated with a scowl at the taller man. "No need for honorifics or prefixes with me. I need someone who can deal with me being a difficult individual and a pain in the ass, can you do this?"

The athletic-looking man bowed. "I apologize, Murcielago, I am sure I can accommodate your mannerisms with professionalism. It is the job of an assistant to_assist, _not get offended at assignments or the way they are handed out," Hiro answered. He had a bit of a catty undertone, although it was clearly not directed toward Ulquiorra. It had a way of making his listener feel that he was in on a secret with him.

"I don't care if you get offended at what I ask of you or not, Yamada." Ulquiorra could already tell this guy was going to grate on his nerves. He seemed a lot like Quin and it had taken months for Ulquiorra to warm up to him and even then, it was iffy. "Also, my wife is off-limits so you keep your eyes away from her, understand?"

Hiro's eyes bulged microscopically. He pursed his lips and nodded. "That will not be a problem, sir." He was a professional. He wouldn't laugh no matter how funny it was to him.

"You'll need to give me your number and I'll have a contract drawn up for you to sign after a week," Ulquiorra said. "If in that week that you don't think you can work for me, you're free to go."

"Thank you, sir. Here's my card. Mrs. Murcielago has my resume and all my contact information as well," Hiro replied, holding the card in both hands to Ulquiorra in a formal bow.

He narrowed his eyes but walked over a few steps and took the card from the man. "I don't have anything for you to do today so you can go back to Orihime and see if she needs assistance."

"Very good. I'll be on my way, then. Don't hesitate to call," the tan man said with another more shallow bow and turned to leave.

As soon as the man left, Ulquiorra was on the phone, calling Orihime to complain.

"Hey! How'd it go? What did you think of Hiro?" she asked excitedly.

"You can have him as an assistant. I personally, don't care for him," Ulquiorra said. "Something about him reminds me of Quin and the moment he opened his mouth, I wanted to cut his hand off."

"Ulquiorraaaaaaaaaaaah," she whined in her sick little voice. "He is so qualified and good and I am so, so tired… please just give him a chance for a little while?" She coughed as if to emphasize how unfortunate she was. "I don't have any other assistants lined up to interview, and the rest of the ones I saw today just wanted to meet you to get into your pants."

What? There were people out there like that? Ulquiorra shook his head. "I'm giving Yamada a week to see if he can even stand me. By the way, he's on his way back to you, I think, to help out."

"Oh, thank you. He has already been a lifesaver. I had a run-in with a fan and he handled it for me. I didn't know I had fans, but apparently the Instagram account Pauletto had me do created a bit of a following. Anyway, I think I may have a line on an agent for you. I have one more to meet though then I'm done for today."

"What about your own agent? You also need to be looking for you own people, Orihime. Did Quin say anything to you about a lawyer? Is he at the school today?"

"Yeah, I know. I can only handle so much at once though. Honestly I feel like a flaming pile of shit right now."

"After you meet with this potential agent, I want you to give Yamada some tasks that he can do and then go get some different medicine. You then need to go home and rest," Ulquiorra instructed his wife. "I will be there in several hours with some stuff for you."

"Okay. See you."

* * *

Ulquiorra didn't wait several hours. He still couldn't focus, so he decided to bother Ishida. He reached out with his Pesquisa and pinpointed the Quincy's location. Hopefully his roommate would be in a good mood. The artist followed the spiritual pressure to where he felt the man was and knocked on the door.

"Come in, Cifer," Ishida called, recognizing the spiritual pressure. As Ulquiorra opened the door, he asked, "So, how's my favorite roommate's husband doing? Was Nikko any good?"

He hadn't expected to be identified but Ulquiorra should have expected it. "Eh, Orihime's sick," he replied with a sour expression. "Hirano started some shit so now I have to find a-Well you know about it, Orihime told you. Nikko was fine. It was fun. Hilly though. How was Kurosaki's visit?"

"Oh complete bullshit, as one might expect," Uryu replied pleasantly as if he were describing the weather. "Yuzu was delightful. Kurosaki split right after I told him Hime was gone. He said he was going to Yui's, as if I cared. Anyway, speaking of Hime, she asked me about a lawyer for you two? Are you thinking of drawing up some kind of marital property agreement or something? Or is it a business or real estate thing? Most good lawyers focus on only one or two areas of the law."

"A what?" The green-eyed man was clearly confused. "It's for-I think it's for a business thing. I know nothing about what she's doing. I mean I knew it was important to get an accountant when I took on Jay because more business equaled more money. I should have had a lawyer a long time ago to combat things like Takahashi and Hirano."

"Hold up a minute, what happened with Hirano? Orihime didn't say anything about that."

Ulquiorra rubbed his forehead for a moment before he answered. "Uh, the night Orihime and I got married, I found out that Hirano was-I fucked her a few years ago. I don't remember her. I've had sex with almost four hundred women… over four hundred? I don't know. I never kept track of them."

Quin raised his brows and took a deep breath but said, "the math adds up I guess. Still, what a bitch. She must have known when she took the job. I wonder what she thought she had to gain from it. Anyway, yeah, so it sounds like you do need a lawyer. It sounds like you need to start your own corporation to protect your brands. Maybe you and Hime can run a joint parent company and have in-house corporate attorney, eventually anyway. I don't know I'm just thinking out loud. I may have to do something similar someday."

"There's more to it. My former agent is Hirano's husband. Hirano has a kid and Orihime blew up about it," Ulquiorra explained. "I knew Rin wasn't mine. The kid looks nothing like me. She knew when I hired her. I think she was expecting me to remember and maybe screw her again?" He shrugged.

"Classy," Quin said, rolling his eyes. "Don't blame Hime for jumping to that conclusion, I mean, I did when you first said those words and I don't even know those people. It just seems like the shitty sort of thing someone like Hirano might try to pull. Anyway, yeah. I know a guy who can refer you to a good personal attorney, someone who can send out cease-and-desist letters for you and draft up lawsuits if people don't comply. That's probably all you need at this point."

Ulquiorra shrugged. It was shitty of Hirano do to that, but everything was fine with them until he mentioned the word marriage. "That'll be good, and I have another favor to ask you. Orihime wants us to be buddies but there's a deep ingrained mentality I have to get over. You're a Quincy, I was a hollow; the whole enemies thing still goes through my brain. I cut off your hand, for fucks sakes. You should hate me. I mean I'm willing to be friends, if you can get over me being an asshole about it."

Quin was silenced for a moment at Ulquiorra's… Challenge? Declaration? He wasn't sure what it was, really. Then he smiled and laughed voicelessly. "Sure. You're not a hollow anymore. I'm over it. You're my best friend's husband, and if truth be told, I rather like you, Cifer. I think you're a dick but so am I. It's something I can respect."

"Well, now that we have that out of the way, can you teach me to walk?" Ulquiorra paused and realized how awkward he sounded. He cleared his throat. "Orihime wants me to model something in her final show. I know how to model but I don't know how to do that runway walk."

Quin grinned. Evilly. "Sure thing, buddy. Can you do me a favor in return?"

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow then scowled at the Quincy. "What?" he asked in a suspicious tone.

"I'm not going to ask you to walk for me. You're not the aesthetic I'm going for this season. But, if you wouldn't mind name-dropping me once or twice, and coming to my show, I would call it even."

Molding his mouth into a thin line, Ulquiorra considered this request. "I suppose I could do that, I have some engagements, I think, that Orihime set up. If you want I can say something during those," he replied.

"I'd appreciate it. I just need to get my name out there, somewhere where it's not attached to Markus. You're lucky, you were already well-known before that dork got his claws into you. All I need you to do is mention that you know me or that you'll be at the show. Maybe mention that I'm childhood friends with your wife. Something innocuous that would make me seem relevant is all I'm asking for."

"Oh," Ulquiorra said. He looked uncomfortable and looked down at his feet. "Uh, well, it's been established that you already know Orihime. We did an interview the morning before we went to city hall. Itoh is an asshole and asked about your and Orihime's relationship."

"I'm sure she was very clear about its true nature. I'm glad it's out of the way now. That's a good start, anyway. I've set myself up to go to a bunch of events with Sebastiano so people will start to get the hint anyway, if they haven't with Markus."

"I'll name drop. I don't know if you have any pieces done but I can certainly say that you styled my outfits. Don't think I don't hear you bitch about my jeans and t-shirt ensembles."

Quin smirked. "Thanks. Okay then, let's see what we have to work with. Imagine the aisle between tables here is the runway. You're wearing a suit with only one button closed in front and french cuffs. Walk to the end of the aisle, stop, pose, turn and walk back. Easy peasy. Go."

Although he had no clue what the hell a french cuff was, Ulquiorra imagined what Orihime had told him. He stood straight and made his face as impassive as possible before sliding his hands into his pockets, and then he walked as if he was back inside of Las Noches. He envisioned he was on his way to see Aizen. Once he got the end of the aisle, he pulled his hand out of his pocket and ran his hand through his hair, turned and walked back.

"That was… Good. Impressive. My only notes would be to cater to the garment better but since you were only imaging it and not wearing it, I'd say that was decent. I suppose we could have you try one where you're modeling the ensemble you have on now."

"Orihime told me to think back to when I roamed the halls of Las Noches. So, I did."

The Quincy laughed. "Fair enough. I think you've nailed the basics. You can come back for more intensive courses when she has the garments ready for you. How about that?"

Ulquiorra nodded. "If you'll excuse me, I need to stop by the pharmacy for Orihime and then get home. Thank you Quin."

"Anytime, Cifer. I'll probably stop home later, so see you."

* * *

Orihime's last meeting was mind-blowing. She had liked the previous agent candidate, but this one… whoa. Kimiko Takeda was a pitbull. A mean-looking, spunky, smoker-voiced pitbull with a no-nonsense attitude. Despite her appearance and gruff demeanor, Orihime had found the woman remarkably fair and savvy.

In addition, Orihime was 99.99999999% sure Ulquiorra probably hadn't slept with the woman. She had to be pushing sixty-five years old. She thought they were a perfect match.

The other agent she met with would probably be better suited for herself. He was younger and a bit more coddling, which would be something that she would need as she got started and lacked confidence in herself. Ken Nakamura was the kind of guy you might expect to meet in a doctor's office. Soft-spoken and capable, with the kind of presence that made you feel like you were in good hands. He reminded her of a kinder version of Quin's dad.

She made her way home and kicked her shoes off. She had sent Hiro to the store to get a copy of the latest industry rags and some more soup. She loved this assistant already. He was like a less judgy version of Quin, who seemed pleased to do her bidding. Plus she felt like under the right circumstances they could be BFFs and watch chick flicks and eat ice cream together, then do guilt yoga, although she wouldn't feel _that _guilty. Ulquiorra had requested she put back on a few pounds.

She smiled as she thought about it and got out of her suit, putting on some leggings and a sweatshirt and heading back out to the living room and falling down on the sofa. By the time Hiro got there, she was passed out. She had given him their security code for the lobby and left the apartment door unlocked with a directive to let himself in, which he did.

"Uh, Mrs. Murcielago?" he called out hesitantly. When there was no answer, he walked in past the genkan and set the items he was sent to retrieve onto the kitchen counter. He looked around, somewhat surprised to see that his new employers lived so simply. It was a nice place, but the furnishings and decorations were sparse and inexpensive.

He spotted Orihime on the sofa and approached her. "Mrs. Murcielago? Are you asleep?"

Of course she had been, but she was woken by his voice. "Oh, hi Hiro. You can call me Orihime, you know."

"Oh, I think it's for the best that I don't, your husband made it clear that I am not to cross any lines where you are concerned."

Orihime sighed. "Well, he's not here."

"Still, for now, I think it's best, Mrs. Murcielago. Anyway, I've brought your soup. Would you like some now or can I fix you some tea?"

"Tea would be lovely, thank you Hiro," she said, lying down as Hiro found his way around the kitchen.

He had been rummaging through the cupboards when he heard a deep voice clear its throat behind him. The assistant jumped, clutching his heart and twirling around.

Ulquiorra stood in the doorway with his arms folded. "What are you doing here? Did you do as I asked and help Orihime?"

"Yes sir, Mrs. Murcielago asked me to pick up the periodicals and some soup and now I'm preparing her tea?" he asked, unsure if he had crossed a line.

A straight eyebrow was raised and Ulquiorra carefully evaluated his new assistant. "Very well. Tomorrow I'm going to need you to go buy a simple but small desk so that I can work from home. Let me know when you have time and I'll give you the funds to purchase it." With that Ulquiorra turned around and went to the couch where Orihime looked to be dozing. "Woman, I told you to get in bed."

"The bed was too far…" she answered. "How was your day?"

He held his hands out to the redhead. "Come on; let's get you into bed. And my day was mediocre. I got nothing done."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Let me just say goodbye to Hiro," she said, looking toward the kitchen and calling in a scratchy voice, "Thank you, Hiro. You can leave the tea in the kitchen. See you soon." She then looked back to her husband and smiled. "He is like having a little helper."

He gave a stern glare at the back of her head then muttered, "I'm not a helper. I'm your partner,"

"I know, I wouldn't expect you to run around and do my errands for me," she said. She was cautious about it; she detected more than displeasure at Hiro's person to be behind his words. "Are you worried about something?"

He shook his head. "No, not really. I just-I don't want you to get too friendly, just in case you decide that you like him more. I won't hesitate to fire him, just like I fired Hirano."

Orihime's dreams were crushed. "What? This is nothing like Hirano, Ulquiorra. Hiro is _gay_," she whispered the last word as if it was top secret.

What? His face scrunched in confusion. "Why didn't anyone tell me that? I wouldn't have been so rude with him," he said.

Her eyes rounded in disbelief. "You really didn't know?"

"No, I didn't know. How was I supposed to know? I just told him to keep his eyes off you!" Ulquiorra felt like an ass now.

She hugged his arm. Damn, he was adorable. "Well, maybe you're better off covering your bases, just to be sure. Anyway, I would never hire anyone that I thought stood a chance of disrupting our relationship. Speaking of which, I think I found both of us agents today," she said, tentatively. Based on his reaction to Hiro, she wasn't too confident in his reaction to her selections.

"Let me guess, you hired me a male agent," he stated then sighed. "I guess it's understandable. You said you met with people today that just wanted to get in my pants."

"Boo boo! Guess again!" she said, grinning.

"Did you already check and see if I've slept with this person? Maybe we need to do a background check? I know that just outright asking, hey have you ever slept with my husband would be rude but-" He stopped and stared at his wife. "What is so funny?"

"How wide is your strike range? You said you have a type, I wonder just how far Kimiko Takeda falls outside of it."

"What? Woman, I wouldn't fuck anyone really older than 30. Hirano doesn't count. She looks younger than she is. My type is redheaded, busty females with smart mouths and nice asses." Ulquiorra stated.

Orihime raised her eyebrows and flinched, unsure how well she fit his criteria. "Psst… do I need to be worried about getting whacked on my thirtieth birthday?" she whispered.

He rolled his eyes and then huffed. "Woman I was describing you. You're the only woman I want to have sex with. I promised you brand loyalty and I've given it to you since that day. And no, why would you think that? You're my wife until my last dying breath."

She melted into a smile and stared at him with lovestruck eyes for a second, then shook it off. "Anyway, I was sure I didn't have to ask. Let me show you," she said, pulling up a picture of the older woman on her phone and showing her husband.

The revulsion in his face was apparent. "I can definitely say I would run from that. That's my new agent?"

She laughed. "Yep. She is fabulous. A real bulldog. Like Hirano, but less bitchy and with more weight to throw around. I thought she would be better for you than the first agent I picked out. I think Nakamura is probably better suited to working with me, anyway."

He knew he needed someone like Hirano. If Orihime had met with this woman, she was a better judge of character than he was. Ulquiorra nodded. "When do I get to meet her, Mrs. Cifer?"

She sighed in a sing-song way, hugging at his arm again. "I set up a lunch for you at a place near the college tomorrow. Also, Mr. Cifer, based upon your reaction to Hiro this afternoon, I feel it prudent for you to screen the agent I've picked out for myself. I don't want to get comfy with him and then have to scramble to find someone else when you decide you don't like him."

"Orihime, I just got jealous. I'm positive that you'd reject anyone's advances," Ulquiorra said to her. "Is he gay too? I'm sure if he is I have nothing to worry about."

"I didn't ask, but Nakamura is nothing like Hiro, so if he was it wouldn't be obvious to me. But he's kind of a fatherly type… He reminds me of Quin's dad a bit, but not as mean. He's probably in his mid-to-late forties. Looks bookish. Here, I'll show you his website," she said, pulling it up.

Ulquiorra looked it over and then glanced at the man's picture. He gave off a certain vibe that he did not like. He knew that he couldn't say anything because with their situation, things were complicated. When Orihime established herself further she could find another agent. "If you trust him, then he'll be good enough."

Quin picked that moment to knock on their bedroom door frame.

"Hey you two, who's the spunk in the kitchen?"

"Ulquiorra's new assistant," Orihime said with an overly wide grin, then added in whisper-shout, "He teaches yoga!"

Ishida raised an eyebrow at her and smiled a bit, completely aware of what her husband was probably thinking. He looked up at him and shook his head a bit in sympathy. "Anyway, were you successful in finding a new agent?"

Ulquiorra shrugged. "They seem promising," he said. "Hands off my assistant. You've got what's his face."

Uryu huffed a laugh. "Sure thing, Cuatro. Anyway, who did you pick out?"

Orihime answered excitedly, "Kimiko Takeda for him and Ken Nakamura for me!"

Quin lowered his brows. "Kimiko Takeda is a legend. How did you even get an appointment?"

"I just told her who I was. I guess my new name opens doors," she said, bashfully.

"Lucky," the bespectacled man said with a scoff. "Who's this other one then? Wait, it's not who I think it is, is it? Hime…" Quin sounded disapproving.

"What?

"You picked out that Aizen-looking guy? I mean, from all accounts he's fine but the guy is a dead ringer for Aizen when he was the Captain of the Fifth Division. You _must _have noticed the resemblance."

"No…" Orihime said in a tiny voice, pulling the website up on her phone again.

"No wonder he gave me the creeps," Ulquiorra said, with a frown on his face. "It doesn't matter what he looks like, we just need him to do his job."

"Well whatever. I don't even remember that version," she said, turning her nose up. "It's nice to see you Quin, but I need to lie down. I'm sick." She was kind of mad that he put a damper on her work that day.

"Sorry Boo. I'll see you soon. Goodnight," he said, letting himself out of the room and closing the door behind him.

After Quin left, Ulquiorra turned towards Orihime. "That reminds me, I got you some different medication. It's supposed to make you sleep and clear everything up. You don't look good. Is there a chance that you need to go to a doctor?"

"I don't know, honestly. I'm so pumped full of medicine right now that I couldn't tell you. But I don't think I have a fever, so if I don't, then I don't think I need a doctor. You could check if you want," she said, pulling her hair off of her forehead.

He placed the back of his hand against her forehead and then lifted the hair off of her neck to feel there too. She was warm but he wasn't too sure what was too warm for humans. "If you're not better by tomorrow, you're going to the doctors. Get into bed, I'll get your tea and soup then you're going to sleep. No work tomorrow!"

"Yes, boss," she said with a twinkle in her eye, then laid down. This nurturing side of Ulquiorra was new, and she liked it.


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49: The Article**

Yamada made it through the week and at the end of the seven days, Ulquiorra apologized. He had met with the ball-busting agent too. Takeda didn't take any shit from him. Within two days of meeting with the woman, he had several events and engagements to attend. He had painted some, but it was nothing noteworthy.

He hated these artistic slumps and knew that he could not do what he had done in the past to break free of it. Orihime would be pissed if he went out to a club by himself. He didn't want to do that anyway. He didn't want to be around people. After leaving the interview that Takeda set up, Ulquiorra sighed. At least it wasn't some internet blogger this time asking questions. This interviewer knew how to be professional.

Checking his phone, he decided to bother his wife by sending her a text.

_\- Tell me again why we picked Takeda? I'm being run ragged. Jay would never book me for this many things._

Orihime was feeling better after several days of downtime. She was in her studio when the text from Ulquiorra came in.

\- _Sorry lover. You know she's running defense for you. Hirano and Takahashi are still in the wind. I'll try to make it up to you later, if you want._

He scowled at the phone. Make it up to him? How would she do that? Besides, he had to work later and he told her this.

_\- Can't. Gotta work on some prints. Your day been okay?_

He had been cranky lately with a capital C. He seemed to take everything she said out of context or found the one way to perceive it as a slight or a shortcoming on her part. She knew he was under a lot of stress and she was trying to remain patient but she was getting close to losing it. She sighed and wrote back.

\- _yeah it's fine. I guess you'll just have Hiro get you some food then? I can grab a bite with Quin I suppose. Let me know if I can help, otherwise I'll try to stay out of your hair._

The artist sighed. He didn't know what to say or do in this situation.

_\- I'm not feeling creative. You know this. I've mentioned… I think I've mentioned it. I don't think working out of your studio is cutting it for me. I feel stifled in that room. I might see if I can find studio space elsewhere. It could also be that a lot has changed in very little time that I feel this block of creativity._

-_Try it. It couldn't hurt._

She sent the message somewhat glad that he was being proactive but worried about his attitude, still. He wasn't the only creative in the family; she understood what it was like. He was acting like a bit of a diva, though. She had another idea.

\- _Also have Hiro start looking for a new place for us to live while he's at the realtors. And FYI, I have a trip scheduled for the end of the week. I was thinking of making it a day trip, but maybe you could use some quiet to recharge. Would you mind if I asked him to make some arrangements for me to stay overnight?_

Why did it feel like she wanted time without him around? Where was she going? He checked his schedule to see he was booked until Sunday for several parties and things. There was an art gallery opening, a lecture to art students at some college, some lunch with some business people. He knew by working with his agent there was no way she would drop these things to let him go with Orihime.

_\- You want to move? If I find a suitable place I won't need the studio. Why do you want to move? Where are you going for this trip? Why didn't you tell me about it sooner? _

Orihime wasn't especially surprised by his reaction.

\- _I don't need to move now, but I think it's a good idea to check out what's on the market to get some ideas. But if you want to move now and have a home studio it's fine by me. I'm worried, though, that you'll feel the same way as you do now though if you have a home studio. I'm not sure, but I am sensing a pattern of you losing your creative energy if I'm too close by all the time. This trip is a secret surprise. I am not telling. I was planning to be out and back in a day so that's why I didn't tell you. Anyway, I'm offering to leave for the night if you just need some time alone. If you don't need it, I'm happy to come back home._

She paused and thought before adding,

-_Do you need a date to any of your things this week? You never asked._

He thought about her words before he replied. Ulquiorra's thoughts were going a mile a minute. What if she said was true and she was the cause of his slump? No, that couldn't be true, because he was in the same boat when he voluntarily left her. He chewed on his thumbnail before he decided to reply.

-_ I mean what are we looking for? Size? Any amenities? I know what I want in a place to live, not so sure of your standards. If you want to take an overnight trip, that's okay with me. You sound like you could use a break from me._

Orihime rolled her eyes. Ulquiorra had a penchant for the dramatic.

-_I don't want to sleep in a strange bed that doesn't smell like you. Besides, it is a boring place with nothing to do. I thought I'd be doing you a favor. Anyhow, I'm concerned about location, natural light, adequate space, at least 2 bedrooms, and for it to be clean… You've seen where I've lived before. I'm not that fancy. Not that I'd refuse a nice place, lol. You ignored my question. Date or no? Or does Takeda provide those for you?_

He sighed. It hadn't come up with Takeda yet but he knew it would and could be an issue.

_\- I don't need one, why do you have someone in mind? I will write down your demands and send them off with Yamada._

Her reply was immediate.

\- _What the fuck? I meant myself, Ulquiorra. The rest was a joke. I can't even… YOU ARE MARRIED._

She was furious. Livid. She sent out a pulse of reiatsu strong enough to be felt by the shinigami the next town over, that's how pissed she was.

_\- I knew you meant yourself, Woman. Calm the fuck down. Takeda supervises me at these events and makes sure I do not make an ass of myself. I am aware that I am married, Orihime. I see my bracelet and my ring everyday. I wake up next to you everyday and I enjoy it. Stop or you'll attract a Hollow._

He felt her spiritual pressure. He was merely playing around with her. He was trying to get out of this funk but her overreaction just made it worse.

_\- I'm just going home. I'm tired of being out and I don't have anything else to do until tomorrow afternoon._

Her spiritual pressure disappeared as she hid it now. She felt… frustrated. Maybe the problem wasn't him. Maybe it was her.

\- _Sorry I overreacted. I'm going to go for a walk and clear my mind. Obviously I'm on edge about something, too. I'm going to stop at the store on the way and then go home. Need anything?_

Ulquiorra had a flash of deja vu. Didn't they have this conversation before at one point in time? He wanted to tell her that he needed her and only her but it sounded cheesy and he wasn't in the mood for romance.

_\- Not really._

She figured. She had just gone shopping and it was just an olive branch anyway.

\- _Okay, I'll see you in a few hours. I love you._

She put on her coat and just left what she was doing out, not bothering to organize her work space.

She walked out through Shibuya toward the shopping district. She wanted to see some lights and be dazzled. She wanted to stop the dissonance in her mind. Ever since they got back from Nikko, things had just been piling up. It was too much for her to deal with and still have any kind of organization in her mind. She didn't know why she felt how she felt about most things most of the time. She knew she loved her husband. She knew she wanted success for them. She knew she trusted Quin and appreciated Hiro but the rest… The rest could go fuck itself.

The apartment was silent when he opened the door. Taking off his shoes, Ulquiorra made his way into their room. He sat down at his computer which had its own rather small desk and turned it on. Sitting there while it started up, he ran his hands through his hair. Maybe he needed another change. Maybe he could get a new tattoo or just cut all the hair off of his head. He could see himself with barely any hair but there were times he missed his long hair. He couldn't hide behind his short hair.

When the computer prompted him, Ulquiorra entered his password and then opened the program that would allow him to manipulate the images he had taken with his camera. This was more enjoyable to him than painting was anymore. Maybe Orihime was right that he needed some space from her.

Orihime walked past a clothing store that caught her eye. She went inside and tried things on. She found a couple cute things; a t-shirt, a new pair of leggings, a cute nightie. She stood in line to buy the things and was, to her great surprise, recognized.

"Inoue-san?"

She turned her head, not correcting the young, female voice. "Yuzu?"

The younger Kurosaki bounded up to her and gave her a hug. "I can't believe I ran into you here! What are you doing?"

"Shopping… also my name isn't Inoue anymore, it's-"

"Yeah, I know. Anyway, I'm living here now, and I have a part time job at this shop. Oh! Ai will be so excited to meet you, she _loves _Pauletto. Could you wait here?"

Orihime nodded and watched while the younger woman bounced off to the distance. After she completed her purchases, Yuzu returned with another young woman, similar to her in age. Yuzu introduced her as her co-worker, Ai, and asked that they take a selfie and, after much begging from Yuzu, Orihime agreed to post it to her Instagram and tag all three of them in it.

Ai had some questions for her. "So, when are the new Pauletto campaign photos coming out?"

"Soon, I hope," Orihime said, trying to act excited. She was getting anxious to get back.

"Well, I hope so. I want to see more of you," the woman, said, giving her a significant look up and down.

Oh.

_Oh._

Orihime put on her trademark fake grin and made her excuses to leave.

"Oh, wait, Inou-Murcielago, um, would you sign my copy of the underwear ad?"

"The what?"

"The underwear ad. Didn't you know it was released yesterday?"

"No… Sure, I'll sign it."

Orihime took the glossy page from Ai and looked. And looked. And looked.

No wonder he was busy. He looked like a god. She looked like some kind of love slave chained to his feet. It was a perfect representation to her of what their relationship had become since Takeda came along. He was the star and she was a nobody, times a million.

She thanked the girls and left, asking Yuzu to give her regards to Karin and Isshin. Yuzu asked her to check up on her brother, to which request Orihime smiled awkwardly and skirted.

On the way home, Orihime bought several copies of the magazines that featured the ad. She had to admit, it looked amazing. Pauletto was talented. She was talented.

It wasn't Ulquiorra's fault that this was happening. It was hers. It was Nakamura's. He wasn't keeping her busy. That would have to change. Feeling much better and more mentally organized, she got on the phone with her agent. By the time she returned home, she was booked for a couple appearances the following week feeling less irrelevant.

He was in the kitchen making himself coffee when she walked in. Ulquiorra could hear her. He poked his head out of the kitchen door and watched for her. "Did you have a good walk?" he asked.

"I did," she said, smiling like she did before all this craziness started, and coming to kiss his cheek. "Pauletto's underwear ad came out. Do you want to see?"

His eyebrows shot up. "What underwear ad?" Ulquiorra asked.

"You know, the Mongolia one. Look," she said, opening up the top magazine from the pile of them in her hand.

Scanning the article and pictures and pages, Ulquiorra felt his eyes widen. "These are-Fuck. Look at you. You're gorgeous and sexy and-" Words left him. He turned back to Orihime, tilting his head slightly. "How did you find out about this?"

Orihime glowed at his compliments. "Some girl at Shibuya 109 had a copy and asked me to sign it. Turns out Yuzu Kurosaki works there and her co-worker is a fan. I bought some cute stuff there today," she said, holding up the bag.

It was nice to see that Orihime was buying stuff for herself. He smiled, "I hope you're going to model some of it for me."

She raised a brow. "That was the plan. I only got three things. One is just another pair of leggings. The other," she pulled out a white t-shirt with the words_2REAL4U _ screened over the bust in big pink block letters and held it over her body, "is this t-shirt, and I'll wear the other one to bed later."

"You bought pajamas?"

"Not exactly _pajamas _. It's nightwear though."

Ulquiorra immediately perked up. "Did you buy lingerie?" He smirked and rubbed his hands together. He felt like a kid in a candy store. "Well, did you?"

"Well, yeah, I guess. It was just really pretty…" she was embarrassed about it for some reason.

He kissed her several times before pulling back. "I want to take pictures of you tonight wearing it. Kind of like a-oh what's the word for it… a bedroom photoshoot?"

"Boudoir shots?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. She giggled a bit. It seemed naughtier than the much more graphic images they had taken before, but that was because those were for art's sake. This was just for Ulquiorra's pleasure. When she thought about that, it actually seemed kinda of sweet and fun. "Okay!" she agreed.

"You know I was teasing you about the whole date thing right?" He asked, wrapping his arms around her.

She looked down at his chest as she answered, "Not at first," then looked up at him with an apologetic half smile.

He chuckled. "Do you think I would forget that I'm married to the loveliest model on the face the earth?"

She blushed and looked down again. "I don't know, I was just feeling kind of inferior since we got back from Nikko. I got so caught up in fixing your business stuff and then I was back hiding in my studio and out of the spotlight… it made me feel irrelevant. And now you are all in demand again and no one cares about me suddenly… While I was out walking I realized it. Seeing you in the underwear ad, standing there like a god while I groveled at your feet like some nameless harem member kind of put it into focus. So I made some calls and booked some appearances for myself. It's no good to be the most talented designer on earth if no one knows who you are, right?"

"Orihime, you will never be some nameless harem member. You are my wife. I'm not a god, I'm nothing remember? I might look good, but the way I look at you in those ads, nothing can compare to them," Ulquiorra told her. "I did not look so in love in Markus' shoot. The way I stare at you could set things on fire."

"You may not be a god but you definitely not nothing. You are everything to me, Ulquiorra Cifer," she confessed softly. "And I do love how you look at me," she said, bringing her eyes slowly up to his.

He was staring at her with a warm expression and half-lidded eyes. "I like how my name comes out of your mouth like that, _Orihime Cifer _. Are you still planning on this day trip or will you be gone overnight?"

"Just a day trip," she said.

The corner of his mouth quirked up and Ulquiorra ran a hand down her back to her ass and squeezed. "Is it still a surprise?"

"Is what?" she asked with dreamy eyes, distracted by his actions for a moment before she remembered what he had just asked her before. "Oh, the day trip. Yes. It is extra super duper maxi extreme-o top secret."

Ulquiorra did the same thing with his other hand but this time instead of squeezing, he pulled her closer. "I don't even get a hint?" he asked.

"Nope; well, I'll tell you to check the calendar for a hint if you really want one," she teased.

A curious expression overcame his face. The only calendar he was aware of was the one on his phone which told him his schedule. "Is it a birthday present? I don't celebrate my birthday."

"You don't. I do. It is my favorite day." She looked at him with an amused expression. "Don't worry, I'm not planning on making a big fuss. Just a little something between you and me."

Ulquiorra squeezed her ass again. "Really? What are you thinking of?" He wasn't surprised that she was planning something for his birthday but he honestly never celebrated his birthday. It was pointless to do so.

"Don't you want to be surprised?"

He shrugged. "I mean if you want to we can, but I kind of feel bad that I didn't celebrate your birthday with you."

She shrugged. "It's not a contest. I want to, so I'm going to. I'll tell you that I plan on getting you out of this apartment for the night, getting some take-out, and getting naked. There may also be a present involved. It depends on whether you've been a good boy," she giggled.

"I like your idea, Woman. You need to check with Takeda about the scheduling though. She's the boss, I'm just a puppet," Ulquiorra murmured in her ear. He then let her go and turned towards the coffee pot. He knew he was being evil.

Orihime took issue with his words. "Oh, is that what she thinks? She has got another thing coming. Make no mistake, husband, _I _am the boss. I hired her. I can fire her. UCOM wrote a contract for her, not the other way around. Your baby doesn't play simpering idiot to anyone but you," she said in a firm tone.

He turned his head, giving his wife an appraising glance. "You were never a simpering idiot, Woman. I like it when you take charge though. It is hot."

She laughed. "I will make sure your schedule is clear though, thanks for the heads up. And if that old bag tries to give you shit tell her to take it up with the boss, m'kay?" she said, coming up behind him and giving_ his _ass a squeeze.

He put his hands flat against the countertop and took a deep breath. Lust ran through his body. Since she had been sick, Ulquiorra had given her space that she needed, giving her plenty of cuddles but that was about the extent of their intimacy. "Orihime, I need to work but I would very much like to ravish you later, if you'd like."

She couldn't help it. She had an evil impulse that had to be satisfied. She stood on her toes and put her lips to his ear, brushing her teeth against the outer shell and whispering, "I'll look forward to it then, lover," then nipped his neck and stood down, immediately busying herself with tidying up the stack of magazines she had purchased and then making her way to the living room, humming a little cheerful tune and acting totally unaffected.

Ulquiorra almost growled. Instead he poured himself a cup of coffee and took a sip before deciding what he was going to do to the redhead. He thought he had the perfect plan. He came out of the kitchen with his cup and looked at Orihime. "I'm going to go into our bedroom and jerk off, that okay with you?" he asked in a fast voice.

"Sure thing. Can I watch?" she asked, totally casual.

He stopped and spilled a bit of coffee on his hand. "Ow. What?"

"I asked if I can watch," she said slowly, keeping a close eye on his reaction. It wasn't often that she flustered him. This was a glorious accomplishment and she meant to appreciate it.

Ulquiorra's mouth opened and closed several times. His brain was going crazy, knowing if he agreed to this, he would not be getting any work done. He studied the woman before giving a slight nod. "I didn't expect this, to be honest."

"No? Why not?" she asked with a small smile, rising from the sofa and approaching him.

"Because you're greedy when it comes to my dick," he teased. Ulquiorra grabbed her hand and pulled her into their room.

Orihime slammed the door behind them and then looked at Ulquiorra with a raised brow. "So, I'll just be a fly on the wall. Pretend I'm not even here. Where do you feel most comfortable? I'd like to be out of the way," she said, teasing the words out of her mouth, using extra tongue on the consonants to make them crisper than usual.

He walked over to his desk and put the cup down. He sat in his computer chair and turned it so he was looking at her. "I mean I would offer to fuck you but you're probably still trying to get over being sick," Ulquiorra said with a sly smile. He was trying to goad her.

She sat on the side of the bed and crossed her legs, set an elbow on top of her knee and cupped her chin, examining him like and investigative journalist would for a television interview, and replied, "Oh no, my health is quite recovered. In fact, I would expect a thorough deep dicking in several hours' time. But for now, I'd like you to do you," she said in a faux-professional voice, lowering her eyes to his crotch pointedly.

Inhaling, Ulquiorra looked at his wife and then exhaled. His hands immediately pulled his shirt off his body, tossing it onto the foot of the bed. All he did with the jeans he was wearing was unbutton them and pull them down far enough so that his lap was exposed. His dick was semi-hard because of Orihime's teasing and groping, not to mention the underwear ad.

His hand started at his collar bone and trailed down his chest, touching each of the tattoos that were etched into his skin on his torso. He liked watching how Orihime watched everything he did. The feather-like touches tickled somewhat as he got closer to his hips. He licked his lips as he ran a finger up the underside of his cock, eyes rolling back into his head. He could imagine his woman doing that to him and it sent a shiver of pleasure through his body. "Like what you see so far?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Indeed. Carry on," she said in a clinical manner, narrowing her eyes and taking mental notes.

Hmph. Not the reaction he was expecting but whatever. If she wanted a show, he'd give her a show. Pale fingers reached around his erection at the base and slowly, he started stroking the length. It'd been several days since he had done this and it had been in the shower. The entire act of pleasuring himself left him feeling unfulfilled since he met Orihime.

Ulquiorra let out a groan as he put more pressure along the sensitive skin, letting his touches go from his pubic hair to the head. He closed his eyes for a moment and imagined the redhead on her knees in front of him. It seemed like she was the one thing that he constantly thought about while getting himself off. "Orihime," he breathed. He knew all he had to do was open his eyes and she would be right there.

She smiled at the sound of her name, and her breathing became a bit heavier as she watched him pleasure himself. She could feel heat growing between her legs and her breasts swelling within the tight confines of her bra. She found this activity, under these circumstances, incredibly erotic. She did not want to distract him at all, so she bit her lip and kept still and quiet.

He opened his eyes just enough so that he could look at her, taking in the way her face was flushed and her lips were swollen. The way the light fell onto her skin made it seem luminous. Ulquiorra had to wonder if her entire body would look like that. A intense jolt of sensual bliss ran through his muscles and he knew if he kept thinking about her and he kept staring at her this was going to be over quickly. That was the point though, wasn't it? She wanted a show. He didn't think he could edge himself, not with her staring at him like she wanted to devour him.

"Baby," he moaned, increasing the pace of his strokes. "I'm going to come."

Suddenly she wanted to participate. Tearing her shirt and bra off with lightning speed, she stood before him. "Come over me, lover," she hissed, lowering her chest to the level of his cock.

The tension in his body broke as soon as he saw her drop to her knees. He reached for her breast, grabbing a nipple between his fingers. Fuck. She was so soft and yielding. He threw his head back, quickening the strokes more, until Ulquiorra gave a strangled cry. Pleasure rippled down his spine and body until he felt the pulses go through his cock. He wanted to see how his come painted her chest but Ulquiorra couldn't even handle the mental image of it. When he was done twitching he brought his head up and looked at her, chest heaving.

It was all over her. Her chin, her throat, her chest, her breasts, splattered like the paintings he had submitted for his last show. Orihime stood slowly, allowing him time to appreciate his handiwork, before turning to the mirror to admire it herself. "I like the way you call my name," she purred as she ran a finger through the droplets on her chin and down her neck.

"Yeah?" he asked as his breathing went back to normal. Ulquiorra stood up and used his t-shirt to clean up his hand and dick. He was going to offer it to Orihime but he had another idea. "Do you want help cleaning up?"

"I want you to take a picture first," she said, laying down on the bed and pulling her jeans off past her hips, putting a hand down her panties to feel how wet she was. She was not disappointed. She pulled some of her own wetness out with two fingers and showed him how it stretched between her fingers. "You put on quite a show," she said with a half smile.

Ulquiorra took her hand and slipped those wet fingers into his mouth, tongue curling around them, sucking every bit of Orihime's essence off of them. He released them with a soft pop before turning back to his desk and grabbing his camera. Adjusting the lens, he took several shots of her chest from several angles, before he placed the camera on the bedside table. "Do you want help cleaning that off your chest?" he asked, standing beside the bed.

She nodded. "I'd appreciate it. I can't exactly see what I'm doing," she admitted.

He laid down beside her before he lowered his mouth to her throat and chest, lapping up the mess he had made. It was only fair he thought. She had tasted him before. When he thought he had gotten it all, he went to kiss her.

She moaned and touched herself as he licked her body. When he was done, and after he had kissed her, she sucked her own fingers clean. She had never tasted herself before except on his lips. She was pleasantly surprised and smiled, then pulled his head down to hers for another kiss. "So, back to work now?" she asked, her cool exterior melted away, reverting to the regularly sweet tone she used with him.

"Now you wanna be all loving to me?" he asked, cuddling her. "I can get to work in a moment. I'm enjoying this… with you."

She nuzzled his chest. "I'm always all loving to you. Sometimes I just like to put on a show, too." she said with an embarrassed chuckle.

"I love you, Orihime."

"I love you with my whole heart, Ulquiorra," she said, wrapping her arm around his waist and squeezing, pressing her cheek against his hollow tattoo.

* * *

He had a pout on his face the day Orihime was set to leave for her trip. He had plans to paint while she was gone, but he just wanted to sit on their bed and feel sorry for himself. "You'll be home later tonight?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Yes, my dear, as I have told you each of these times, I will definitely be home tonight. I didn't want to say anything earlier because I didn't want to disappoint you if something comes up, but in all honesty, if all goes according to plan, I should be back by the mid-afternoon. So don't worry. And don't give me that face. I'm not going that far."

He pressed his lips together so they formed a line and furrowed his brow. "I don't like surprises. I don't like to be caught off guard and this is doing both. You've got this surprise for me and the entire thing took me off my game. I just know I'll miss you."

He knew he was being clingy and didn't care really. Sometimes Ulquiorra needed to be clingy; he had spent enough time alone to allow himself the indulgence.

She put her hands on either side of his face and looked into his eyes with sweet disapproval. "You know you're being a baby, right?" she said, bringing her forehead to his and kissing his nose.

"Yes. Will you tell me where you're going in case I need to come to you?"

"Well, you are my baby, I guess, and I love you. Still, no, I will not tell you, but I will tell Hiro. If it's an emergency, he can tell you. But no hassling him for that information unnecessarily! This is a big deal to me. Please don't ruin it if you can help it, okay?"

Ulquiorra nodded and sighed. "I should go to the studio and paint," he commented.

"Yes you should. If you can't think of anything to paint, just paint boobs. You seem to like those."

"I don't hear you complaining," Ulquiorra replied, giving her a stern look. "Yours are nice, round, and very, very kissable, just like the rest of you."

"I am _not _complaining. I just want to keep you occupied while I'm gone," she smirked. "Anyway, I have to go. I love you," she said, grabbing her jacket and purse off his computer chair and giving him a proper kiss before leaving the bedroom.

He followed her. "Will you text me when you get there so I know you arrived safely?"

"Yes, I promise. I'll text you when I leave, too," she paused at the door. "Hey," she said, looking at him expectantly.

"Hmmm?" Ulquiorra looked at her. "What, Woman?"

She smiled at him. "Have a nice day," she said, maintaining that smile and eye contact until the door closed.

He walked back into their bedroom and flopped down into the computer chair. Ulquiorra had two options. He could sit there and have a pity party or he could actually get some work done. If Orihime was away, he could work on her graduation present. It made sense. If Yamada would ever find him a proper studio space, he wouldn't need to hide the damn thing and he could come and go as he pleased. He had checked into his former residence. The landlord said they were still trying to figure out what happened and how to fix it so that option was out. Yamada kept finding him places that were too claustrophobic or had insufficient lighting. There were some converted warehouses that had huge windows but Ulquiorra didn't want to waste that much money on some place where he wasn't living.

With a sigh, he decided to get dressed and he took off for the college, walking through the streets.

Exactly an hour and fifteen minutes after Orihime left the house, she sent Ulquiorra a text that said "I'm here :)" and started walking to her destination. The shop was about a three minute walk from the station, and the exterior was just a large, street-level shop window set in a small, unimposing white building. It wasn't exactly what she was expecting.

The shopkeeper saw her and recognized her from her photographs. As specialized craftsmen, the workers of this particular shop did not take too many commissions per year. They used age-old techniques passed down through generations and charged their clients accordingly. They also produced utilitarian versions of their wares and small souvenirs, but Orihime had been planning this for a long time and had spent most of the money she earned with Markus and some of Quin's money, too, for the down payment.

She was shown into a room which housed a smithing workshop and a small table with zabutons surrounding it. The shopkeeper poured her a cup of tea and shuffled off to the backroom. A couple of minutes later, an older man with shoulder-length salt-and-pepper hair came into the room wearing white samue, and carrying a long black lacquer box. Orihime sat up straighter, anxious to examine the piece she had commissioned.

The swordsmith opened the box and Orihime was blown away. She had spent so much time agonizing over the dimensions and detailing; arguing with the craftsman about the specific curvature and weight. It was silly; she had never held Murcielago herself, but she imagined it was lightweight and relatively easy to maneuver. She thought it bore some slight resemblance to a rapier. She was very specific about the size and design of the hilt and the color of the grip cords and sheath. She had been so worried. She knew this wasn't the real thing, but it was important to her to get the details as close to what her memory provided as possible. Even if he never used it. Even if they only ever displayed it as a decoration.

The swordsmith removed the sword from the case and drew it out of its sheath, holding it to Orihime to examine in hand. She took it carefully and held it with one hand on the grip and another cradling the blade. It was so delicate and strong.

It looked exactly as she remembered. It looked perfect. Still, she was having doubts about all of it now. She said a prayer to her brother that Ulquiorra would like it.

She paid the swordsmith the remaining balance due, which consisted of an overstuffed envelope of 10000 yen bills, and the craftsman repackaged the sword and thanked her profusely as she left the shop.

Her first stop was at a shrine nearby, where she had arranged for the sword to be blessed by the local shinto priest and, supposedly, infused with the protective spirit of the enshrined deity. After she was done, she returned to the station and got on a train for the one hour and twelve minute journey back to Shibuya, and texted Ulquiorra.

\- _I'm done. I'll be back around 3:30. I love you._

* * *

"Yamada, hold still." Ulquiorra practically barked at his assistant. He was trying to get the pose down right but found that he couldn't paint or pose at the same time so he texted the man and told him to get to the college. The silver-haired man said nothing as Ulquiorra put him into the position that he wanted him in so that he could finish this.

It would never be the crowning glory of _The Woman and the Moon, _but he did his best at trying to convey what he wanted in the painting.

"Murcielago? My nose itches," Hiro said.

"You can call me Ulquiorra," the artist said, dropping the paintbrush onto his palette. "Just a second, let me get my phone and take a picture of the pose. Oh… Orihime's done already."

Green eyes cut over to the assistant. "Where was she going today?"

"I was told not to tell you unless she called me," the other man said.

"Tch," he scoffed, contemplating whether or not to make Yamada stand there for another hour. Ulquiorra lifted his phone and took the picture. "Done. You can move around now."

Immediately Hiro rubbed his nose then bowed to Ulquiorra. "If it's all the same, I'll continue to call you Murcielago. Professional courtesy."

Ulquiorra looked up from his phone and glared. Professional courtesy? "Is it that or are you a coward and think I'm going to fire you or something? You could have told me you were gay instead of my wife laughing at me and finding it out from her. I bet you even found it funny, didn't you?"

"My apologies. Do you have any other tasks for me to do?"

"Go get me-What kind of flowers are available? What would be appropriate?"

"Flowers? Uh-"

"Go find me a dozen red roses and some good chocolate," Ulquiorra stated. When Yamada didn't move the artist stared at him. "Some wine too or maybe some champagne… Wine, a good one. You seem to know that kind of stuff."

The assistant bowed before leaving the room. Ulquiorra had to text him to tell him to deliver it all to the apartment. After that was taken care of he looked at his phone. He had about forty minutes before Orihime would be back. Covering her present, Ulquiorra moved over to another sheet covered canvas. With little flourish, Ulquiorra dragged the piece of fabric off the art and stared at it.

A huge canvas painted with a very thin layer of white and gray stood on the easel. Over top of the initial layer of paint, Ulquiorra had drawn an outline of Murcielago. He didn't know why he hadn't painted the sword before this. Probably because whenever he thought about the weapon it stung. The fact that he was no longer an Espada was a harsh reality. Seeing the thing brought back memories that he didn't want to deal with. He'd only had drawn Murcielago several times, usually opting to use his Cero or Balas to combat an enemy. There was also the option of just running his hand through them.

Kurosaki was the last person to ever cross blades with him. Thinking of Kurosaki brought back the burning and painful death he had endured, waiting for his body to turn into dust. It also dredged up a small drop of resentment for Orihime, because she hadn't been strong enough to face him on her own. She had to ask the Shinigami for help.

He shook his head. It was silly to think of it now. He had the woman. He was in love with the woman. She loved him back. It was a hard thing to get over when he had had so much power and then have it all yanked away by a human. He had lost Murcielago… That part of his soul he would never get back because of his death.

He had contemplated getting a replica of it made before the whole thing with Crofton started but it slipped his mind. Ulquiorra didn't even know where to begin to get something like that made. Maybe Quin would know.

How much did it cost to get a sword made that was actually useable? He'd probably have to discuss it with Orihime first.

He sighed. He was wasting valuable time thinking about his past when he could be painting and securing his financial future. Ulquiorra picked up another paintbrush and began to work.

* * *

Orihime got home at the appointed time and stashed the sword in Quin's room where he had previously agreed to store her mystery gift. There was still a week to go before Ulquiorra's birthday and lots of other planning to do. She didn't need him accidentally finding her big surprise.

She left Quin's room and went back to her own, deciding to change into something more comfortable, and wait there for Ulquiorra to get home. She dozed off after about ten minutes.

He'd gotten caught up in everything and didn't even realize that it was almost four in the afternoon. The painting of Murcielago was almost done though. Still... Shit, he was late. He texted Yamada about the things he wanted and immediately received a reply. The assistant couldn't find roses.

Ulquiorra told him to forget about the flowers, just meet him at the apartment with the other things. He had to give it to the guy. He was efficient. Yamada was standing in front of the apartment building when Ulquiorra walked up. He said nothing as he handed over the box of chocolates for Orihime and the bottle of wine.

"The wine pairs up nicely with the chocolate, so..." Yamada said before leaving.

Weird. Ulquiorra shook his head and walked into the building and to their apartment. Walking into the apartment and removing his shoes, the artist went into the kitchen and put the two items on the counter. "Orihime?"

Orihime was half asleep when Ulquiorra called out for her, and she wasn't sure if it was a dream or real life. "Huh?" she said, sounding a bit like an idiot.

"Where are you-Oh," he said entering their room. Seeing her half asleep made him worry. "Are you getting sick again?"

She yawned and stretched as she sat up. "No, I feel fine. Traveling by train just makes me sleepy. It's a lot of swaying back and forth, like being rocked in a rocking chair, don't you think?" she rambled in her sleepy drawl.

Ulquiorra sat down beside her and gave her a confused stare. "I don't know what a rocking chair is," he replied. "But I can understand that movement would make you tired. I just wanted to make sure nothing was wrong with you."

"I'm fine," she said and smiled at him, her eyes still only half-open. "How was your day?"

"It was halfway decent. I managed to make some progress on both of my projects. One is almost done then I can begin working on your designs some more," Ulquiorra stated. He had to smile at her sleepy face. "How about your trip? Where did you go and where is my surprise?"

"You'll have to wait until your birthday to see it, silly. But I was not too far away. The trip was okay. I'm a little nervous about it… I think you'll like it but I don't know. Maybe I should just get you a sweater or something."

The look on her face caused him to feel concern. "Um, I have clothing though? I don't need any more. I got you something, though. It's an apology for being a big baby this morning and as a, um, warm up to something I want to ask you."

She was intrigued. "I like it when you act like a big baby sometimes. Anyway, what is it?"

"Oh it's just chocolate and a bottle of wine. I figured you could indulge yourself," Ulquiorra answered.

Orihime's face was confused, but not displeased. "Well, thank you, but what's the occasion? What did I do to deserve such spoiling?"

He raised his eyebrows. "You're my wife, that means I get to spoil you whenever I want, but the thing I want to ask you is that I want to buy something. I have no clue where to begin with it though. I'm also asking because it'll probably cost a lot of money and it's only right to ask you since you're my wife."

Orihime wracked her brain trying to guess what he might have in mind. Real Estate? A fancy car? Race horses? Business interests? She had no idea. "Okay, what do you want?"

"I want-and this might sound strange, but I want to recreate or replicate Murcielago. I want to go toe to toe with Kurosaki with an actual weapon."

She raised her eyebrows at him. "I don't like the idea of you getting into unnecessary fights, but I don't have a problem with getting a sword made. In fact, I know a guy. I can get Hiro the information to set an appointment for you if you want. He's a busy guy, though, so it may not be for a few weeks," Orihime prayed she didn't give anything away on her face.

He nodded as if what she made sense. "Go ahead and have Yamada do that. And it is a necessary fight. I'm defending your honor. Kurosaki has said some pretty nasty things in my presence and I need to rectify this… Specifically his head rolling on the ground."

"Ulquiorra, I say this because I love you and I don't want to see you spend your remaining days in a high security prison, but you can't kill Kurosaki. He's human and so are you. The old rules don't apply. Anyway, isn't it more delicious to just have me for the rest of both of your lives and rub it in? Just imagine us with like, a farm of bunnies, getting old and watching all these bunnies hop around, and there goes ol' Kurosaki on the other side of the fence chewing on a haystalk and spitting his bitterness to the ground while he goes back to his farm of no bunnies. Or you know, we could just grow old how normal people do, but happy together."

Scowling, he glared at the wall. How did the old rules not apply to them? All he had to do was figure out how to use a regular weapon against Kurosaki's spirit form. "Because Kurosaki is trying to entice my bunnies away," he replied.

Orihime got in front of him and straddled his lap, threading her fingers into the hair at the back of his head. "He will never succeed. He can try as much as he wants for as long as he wants. This bunny is yours for keeps."

"You keep telling me this, but still, Kurosaki and I will never see eye to eye, nor will we ever be friends. He needs to be eradicated for what he has done to me," he said.

Orihime sighed and got off of his lap. "I know that. I know he is a shithead. I know. But if you kill him… If you kill a human for vengeance… I can't bring you back from that."

He huffed. "Fine, I won't get the sword for eliminating a bug and doing the world a favor. It can be something pretty to look at."

"I'm sorry. Anyway, yeah, I'll get Hiro the information tomorrow. Oh, actually I can bring it to Yoga. Do you wanna come?"

His head whipped back and forth. He saw some of the positions those people who liked yoga did. It was like being in a room of contortionist. "No thank you. I'm good. I'll go for a run tomorrow while you're at yoga."

Orihime laughed. "Okay. So where's this chocolate? I need to start putting on my "I'm not a bikini model anymore" weight," she said, laughing harder.

He stood and took her hand. "It's in the kitchen along with the wine," Ulquiorra said, tugging on her arm.

Orihime got up and followed her husband into the next room. Sure enough, a box of chocolates and a bottle of wine sat on the kitchen counter. "Ooh, this looks good!" she exclaimed. They certainly looked like quality items.

Ulquiorra made a mental note to thank his assistant for the items tomorrow. He smiled at his wife. "They go together," he said.

"Oh, in that case I'll need a bottle opener and a glass. I remember the last time I drank wine in this apartment…" she looked at him and grinned and blushed. "And you said you wanted a long engagement. You silly person."

"If I knew married life was this good, I would have gone to city hall a lot sooner," he replied. "You agreed to it."

"And I still do, so we both win," she said, opening the wine bottle and pouring herself a glass. "Am I correct in guessing you'll pass?"

Ulquiorra shrugged. "I'll take a little bit," he said.

Orihime poured him a glass half full and raised it to him. "To your last week of being twenty-five!" They clinked their glasses and took a sip, then she took a chocolate and bit into it, chasing it with another sip of wine, and moaned. "Oh m'god, this is amazing together. You have to try," she said pushing the box toward him.

He looked at the sweets and selected one before biting into it. He chewed it slowly before taking a sip of wine. "Holy shit," he said. Yamada had made an excellent selection. Ulquiorra took another bite of the chocolate. "This is good."

"Right?" She finished chewing, took another sip of wine, and sighed. "I booked the place I want to take you to for your birthday, by the way. Would you like to see the brochure?" she asked, expecting him to say yes. He had said he wasn't much for surprises and she didn't mind telling him and letting him mentally prepare.

"Where are you taking me?" He asked setting the wine glass down.

"It's a resort hotel in Shizuoka. It's about an hour and a half from here by train but worth the trip if the pictures are anything to go by," she said, fishing into her purse and showing him a brochure. "It's on the seaside and there is a private hotspring that even we tattooed heathens can use, and the food looks insane."

He looked over the brochure and at the photos of the place. It looked nice. His eyes flickered to Orihime's face. "You're putting a lot of effort into this," Ulquiorra said in a monotone voice. "Is there a reason why?"

"Duh, earth to Ulquiorra, it's because I love you and I want to celebrate your life," she said with an unimpressed look on her face.

"What, the shitty four years I've been in the world of the living? No one cared about birthdays in Hueco Mundo or Las Noches," he said, then sighed. "I'm just saying you don't have to put forth the effort. I'm not trying to shoot down the idea, I'm just letting you know that you don't have to do this."

"Oh shut your big killjoy mouth," she said. "Nobody is "making" me do it. I'm doing it because I want to. If you don't want me to, I will cancel, but let the record show that I want to do it and I object to cancelling. And I hope not all four years here have been shitty…" she said, trailing off and setting down her glass.

"Okay, the first three were shitty. The fourth year has been pretty fucking amazing," he said and moved so that he was standing in front of Orihime. "I mean I found you again. We've done some incredible stuff together. I died and was brought back to life. I got engaged. I went to two different countries and I got married. I became famous for some dumb underwear. I think he photoshopped my dick, by the way. I thought that when I first saw the pictures."

She laughed. "You've never seen it from that angle, have you? It's impressive," she said with a giggle, biting her lip and letting her eyes flicker down to his crotch and back up to his face.

He narrowed his eyes playfully at her. "Don't be coy and don't act innocent, Mrs. Cifer. You've seen it a hundred times. I've seen it more than that and there's no way it looks like that. I'm not saying no to your idea, I'm just stating that for the record, you don't have to do anything for me."

"You are stubborn, Mr. Cifer. Just be happy your wife loves you enough to want to make your birthday special. It is the first of many, by the way, so you might as well start getting used to it now."

* * *

DECEMBER 1st

Today there are several individuals I'm going to be interviewing. They've all been impacted in one way or another by the same man. How does a drug-addicted man come out on top of the art world? There is myself, the model known as Yui, Hirano Aiko, the designer known as Markus, a handful of other women, and Kurosaki Ichigo that may know the answer to this question.

We begin with C. Murcielago's latest victim, Hirano.

HA: If I knew this was a roasting session I would have worn comfier clothing.

(the group laughs)

TE: Hirano, how did you come to know Murcielago?

H: He was a client of mine and my husband's.

T: Before that? You said you knew him before you dealt with him professionally.

H: I was one of his many conquests. Murcielago slept with over four hundred women before settling on his wife.

(There are a lot in the group who grumble and snort with disdain.)

T: Can you tell us about the time or times you met with him?

H: I had entered an arranged marriage with my husband and two weeks before our wedding, I decided to go out and have one last party before I was tied down.

T: And?

H: I saw this gorgeous but a bit freaky looking guy at a club. Next thing I know I'm at his place near Kabukicho getting (obscenity removed) by Murcielago. Oops, I can't say that can I? I was having sex with him at his place. This was about three years ago-no just over three years ago.

T: Care to give us any sordid details?

H: Um, I can't remember much of the encounter but it was great and he's pretty freaky in bed. Dominant and demanding. He asked for anal. I turned him down.

T: Oh. Well. Hmmm.

H: I think he did, anyway. Or was that the next guy I slept with? I don't know but he was definitely dominant in bed.

(All the women except for Yui nod their head and agree)

T: So what happened between you two?

H: Well, the day he got married, I revealed who I was because I didn't feel comfortable working with him anymore. He'd get really possessive and bitchy at times. I'm married and I didn't want to give off the impression that I wanted another romp with him. Sometimes he would talk to me like he could imagine us being together again.

T: So do you think the artist was willing to cheat on Inoue-Oh wait, we can't call her that anymore… Mrs. Murcielago?

H: I felt like that could have happened and I didn't want to encourage him if he did have feelings for me. Then he told his wife about what happened between us and they fired me. I told my husband and he decided to review Murcielago's contract. He found that Murcielago wasn't holding up his end so Jay terminated it.

T: Interesting. You said you had a child, Hirano. Is there any chance that Murcielago could be the father?

H: There could be a slim chance of it but he wore protection that night. I don't think the condom broke or anything.

I might point out that Hirano looks uncomfortable while talking about Murcielago.

T: You mentioned his wife.

H: Orihime? She's nice if a bit bitchy at times. Very controlling too. Murcielago would often cancel his appearances if it conflicted with her schedule.

T: And your husband probably wasn't happy that his client wasn't doing these appearances and making money.

H: Pretty much. As soon as Orihime found out she freaked out and called me using his phone. The next day she asked me for help to find her an agent or something else. I forget.

T: What's your impression of his wife, I mean other that what you stated.

H: She's pretty neurotic and a diva.

Markus: I can attest to this. Orihime has always been a brat when she was on shoots, demanding things that she couldn't have or just throwing fits about how things looked.

T: Markus, you know Orihime better than anyone, right?

M: Yes, unfortunately. She was my boyfriend's roommate at the time. She had him wrapped around her finger. Sometimes I wasn't sure if he was more attracted to me or to her.

T: So do you think she tried to steal him from you?

M: Well shortly after I severed my business relationship with that tart, he ended our relationship, so I'd say she was successful. I should have known, they were always all over each other at clubs and such. It seemed like a (expletive)-up relationship.

T: Why did you hire her in the first place?

M: Some people I trusted recommended her to me. She must have been fucking them, too. She must be a very talented seductress to have so much influence over all these people with real talent. I never saw anything in her, personally, except that she had access to Murcielago and that's how I got him to model for me. As soon as he finally woke up and dumped her skanky ass, I introduced him to my lovely Yui, and we all with functional eyes can see how much more suited they were to one another and how much more talented they were. Every time "Boo" was on the set all the photos ended up looking raunchy and whorish. I guess the camera doesn't lie.

T: Yui and I go way back, since high school, don't we Yui?

Yui: (nods) We've been friends for a long time, Emi.

T: You said to me at one point in time that you were friends with Murcielago.

Y: I was. He and Orihime had broken up after some pregnancy scare-mixup, I'm not really sure, but Murcielago wasn't happy that there was a chance that she could have gotten pregnant. We became close during this time. He would call me over to his apartment after I was done working. We would eat or have drinks or sit around. He was very sweet but I could tell he was heartbroken. I made my intentions known that I would be thrilled if we were more than friends but he just kept the stance that we were friends. His version of friends was strange.

T: how so?

Y: He would take me to events and dance with me in an intimate way. We would watch movies together and cuddle. Sometimes when we would walk somewhere, he'd randomly grab my hand and hold it. I felt like I was yanked around; like he was using me.

T: That's unfortunate.

Kurosaki: You want to know what's unfortunate? Years ago I saved Orihime from that monster and she ran back into his arms.

T: How did you save her, Kurosaki?

KI: He was going to kill her! That's what he is, Cif-Murcielago is a killer. He killed at least two people that I know of. He's even attempted killing me before. He was going to kill his wife and I put a stop to it!

(hushed whispers and gasps go through the room)

T: If he has killed people why isn't he in prison?

KI: It happened elsewhere.

T: Oh, when was this? Before or after the pregnancy scare?

KI: He tried to kill her before that, about six or seven years ago.

T: You're how old? Twenty-?

KI: Twenty-three. So is Orihime, she's younger than me by a couple of months.

T: Did Murcielago have any kind of sexual contact with Orihime then?

KI: WHAT? WHAT KIND OF SICK QUESTION IS THAT? I DON'T KNOW!

T: Well, I'm trying to establish a timeline here, Kurosaki. Calm down, please. Do you think he could become angry enough with Orihime that he would try to kill her again?

KI: Could be. I mean, the reason he tried to kill her before was because she _wasn't _into him, I'm pretty sure. I've never met anyone more possessive and jealous in my life. Orihime was in completely in love with _me _at the time, so it makes sense. He kidnapped her and tried brainwashing her. I guess eventually it worked, I can't (expletive deleted) believe she married him.

T: Why would he kill her if she wasn't into him? That sounds a bit extreme? If she was in love with you why didn't you try an establish a relationship? Surely Murcielago understands boundaries. Maybe Orihime led him on?

KI: it's possible that it appeared that way. Orihime was incredibly naive and childish. It was a turn-off to me. I mean, she looked grown up, I'm sure that's why Murcielago wanted her, but she was just too, um, _precocious _for me at the time. She didn't really have a lot of boundaries and I'm sure she let too much happen between them that she should have known better about, but didn't.

T: Murcielago clearly has a type. What color was your hair when you had sex with the artist?

15 women: Red!

T: What do you all have in common?

15 women: Huge chests! Big boobs! Nice (CENSORED)!

T: I think that Orihime knew this and tried to trap Murcielago, even as a child.

KI: Hey, I take issue with that. She certainly did not. She was terrified of him, and like I said, she was completely in love with me! There's no way she would even think about doing something like that.

T: You sound like you have feelings for Orihime. Is that the truth? Yui?

Yui: He does talk about her a lot. He's even said her name a couple times while having sex with me.

T: Well Kurosaki? I think you would drag Murcielago's name through the dirt if it made you look good.

KI: He makes it incredibly easy. And besides, what difference does it make if I might be attracted to her or return her feelings? The truth is she is obviously with him for the wrong reasons and I don't intend to let him get away with manipulating her. I don't intend on letting you desperate, thirsty, catty (expletive deleted) twist my words around to make me look like an (expletive deleted) either. This interview is over. You coming, Yui?

Yui: The difference it makes is that they're happy together and you don't (expletive deleted) see it! Let it go, Ichigo! He makes her happy and she makes him happy! So no, I'm not coming not that you ever made me come anyway!

KI: Whatever, starfish. Besides, that's not what you told me as you begged for me to (expletive deleted) you, all you did was complain about how "poor Cifer" was being abused by her. I only slept with you to get you to shut up.

(There is a sharp smack that echoes in the room and Yui stomps off.)

T: Well this is enlightening. I thank all of you for your time. Ladies, if you'll give me one moment of your time I'd like to get some individual comments.

After most of celebrity guests left, I positioned each of the fifteen women that Murcielago has slept with around me.

T: So ladies, what do you think of Murcielago? How about you, uh, I can't read your name tag. How long ago did you sleep with him?

Woman #6: Ishikawa, and I think Murcielago is okay. He was very, um, attentive and the sex was awesome. I was disappointed that I didn't get a return text or an offer to revisit him. It was around a year ago when we had sex.

T: What about you, number 10?

Woman #10: Murcielago is a fuckboy. All talk and nothing to back it up. Pretty face and nice body but it's all meaningless.

T: You're one of the bitter ones, aren't you?

W10: Go (CENSORED) yourself.

T: How many agree that Murcielago is a great lover?

(more than half the women raise their hands)

T: How many feel that the guy led you on and used you?

(All the women raised their hands.)

T: How many were angry when they found out he had a girlfriend?

(less than half raise their hand)

T: Why? Murcielago is a womanizer and deserves to answer for his wrongdoings against the women he deceived.

Woman #3: Or, you know, you could get on with your life and shut up. All I've been hearing during this interview is that you want to defend him and you want to trash talk him. Make up your mind. Are we done?

After that comment, I concluded the interview. It was clear that Murcielago had somehow brainwashed all the women he had come in contact with over the years.

Also, full disclosure, this interviewer has had sexual contact with Murcielago on three separate occasions and recently met with up with him for a chat in Shibuya. I presented him with photographic evidence of our encounters and he denied them initially, then admitted it was him in the photographs. Did he have strong feelings for me as I believe was the case? My circumstances certainly seem exceptional compared to the women I interviewed today. I believe his pattern of womanizing behavior and leading women on does not bode well for the current Mrs. Murcielago. I very much suspect that more recent photographs will emerge like the ones we saw with him and an unnamed woman exiting Aquamarine and going to a love hotel will emerge soon enough. I also believe that were I to try to sway him from his wife, Murcielago would leave her for me, judging by the representation of women who were present at this interview, my physical attributes are much more representative of his particular tastes than his wife, who is much smaller and delicate in comparison. We may soon have more compelling information, so until then, I'm Emi Takahashi, signing off.

Emi knew no one would agree to publish this. It wasn't an editorial and it wasn't informing anyone of anything. It was slanderous trash that was begging for a lawsuit and several cease and desist letters. She knew where she could go to get the article out there; to tar and feather the name of Cifer Murcielago. So she decided to be devious. She made the tabloids and gossip websites bid for the article. They were chomping at this gem like kids who loved candy. Of course, Emi felt like Murcielago deserved this with his insulting manner, but really it was just an opportunity to brag about fucking him more times than any of the whores he had used in the past.

* * *

The day of Ulquiorra's twenty-sixth birthday was the worst day of his life. He'd gone to the convenience store only to see his face plastered on several gossip rags. He grabbed the magazine and flipped through it, his eyes widening in horror as he saw pictures of his underwear ad and the photos with him and that one woman in it. Damn it!

He glanced around the store to see several women looking at him and whispering. They were holding the same tabloid he was holding. He grabbed several of the gossip magazines, at least the ones that had his picture or name on it, and he took them to the cashier, not even bothering with purchasing what he came down there for, although Orihime might be mad when he came back with no orange juice. This was more important than juice.

Ulquiorra practically ran back to the apartment building and burst through the door to find his wife without removing his shoes.

Ulquiorra had slipped out of the apartment before she was fully awake, and when she heard him return, she trotted toward him with a wide grin, saying "Happy Birthday!"

She stopped as he stood in the living room with his shoes on, heaving and looking at her with a spooked expression. "Ulquiorra, what happened?" she whispered, her eyes darting from side to side and taking up a defensive position, stretching out her spiritual awareness for any threats.

"Takahashi happened," he said holding out the magazines to her. "She got a bunch of women I slept with, Yui, Hirano, Markus and Kurosaki together."

"What?! What were they…" she trailed off as he opened one of the magazines to the article. "May I?" she asked, holding a hand out to take the offending periodical from him.

He nodded. Once Orihime had the magazine in her hands, he sighed and flopped down onto the couch. This was bad. He had only skimmed the article but knowing the participants involved, it was horrible.

Orihime walked to the kitchen slowly as she scanned the article, occasionally nodding her head and humming. When she got to the trash bin she smiled, opened it up, and threw the magazine inside. "There, that's where this belongs," she said it in a cheerful voice. She turned to smile at her husband. "Don't worry about this trash. That's all that it is. We knew it was coming."

He had followed her, waiting for the explosive reaction, but when none came, Ulquiorra was surprised. "I have two other magazines with the article in it. I'm sure it's all over the internet by now. I-"

His words were interrupted by his phone ringing. Digging it out of his pocket, Ulquiorra looked at the screen to see Takeda was calling. He put it on speaker after answering.

"Cifer, you're a very popular boy this morning. Your wife let me know you were having trouble with a so-called journalist, so if you want to know why you've been a busy bee, this is why. I've read the article and most of its garbage. I wouldn't pay Takahashi to write about my dog taking a shit in the yard. However, there's been something that has occured because of this new article."

"What?" Ulquiorra asked.

"I have enough offers for you to model for the next year. I have galleries that want your art," Takeda said through the phone. It sounded like she was shuffling some papers around. "There are designers who want you to walk in their shows or pose for them. There's a couple of companies that want you to be the face of their campaigns. People want your wife too. Does this Ishida fellow have an agent?"

"Uh," was all Ulquiorra said.

Orihime hummed and busied herself packing a duffel bag for their overnight trip. She also had a long garment bag to pack something nice to wear for dinner, but that was just a cover for her to hide the gift she had for her husband. She was not going to let some obsessive hack ruin her plans for her husband's birthday. Emi Takahashi was nothing to them, she had made sure of it. When she interviewed with Kimiko Takeda, she was completely forthright, explaining their situation and their enemies, Ulquiorra's past with women and drugs, and her own situation with him as well. She thought it prudent to arm the person they hired to handle their public lives with all the information possible. Takeda had not disappointed Orihime. She had been selling the image of Ulquiorra as a reformed "live hard and die fast" kind of playboy, and people were eating it up. Emi Takahashi's article just fed this narrative.

Takeda went on and on about how he was in demand now and how his wife was following suit. When Ulquiorra ended the call, he went to find Orihime. "I think she might be a genius," he said, leaning against the doorframe.

Orihime smiled and nodded, a little chuckle escaping her throat as she folded some racy-looking lingerie and put it in the duffel bag. "That's why I picked her. She is fabulous." She approached Ulquiorra and put her palms on his chest and kissed him. "Happy birthday, Love. Sorry it started out so exciting," she said and laughed again, before returning to her packing.

He gave a heavy sigh. "Yeah some birthday," he muttered. "Could have totally done without this bullshit. Are you sure I can't kill-okay, maim Kurosaki?"

"I suppose a little maiming might be in order," she teased. "I shouldn't be surprised, but I'm disappointed that he would stoop to something like this," she muttered. "And he should get over it by now. It's been years. He's only interested because he can't have me. I'm sure if you died or something he'd go back to ignoring me." She sighed and zipped up her bag. "Do you want me to make you breakfast, or are you too worked up to eat?"

Food? Now? Ulquiorra couldn't even think right now l, let alone eat. His stomach was in knots. "I'm not really hungry, but you need to eat."

"I'm a step ahead of you; I had a granola bar already. Come here," she said, scooting up to sit against the head of the bed and patting her knees. "Come sit down. You need to relax."

"What, you want me to sit in your lap?" he asked, peering at her like she was silly.

"Just c'mere. I'll get you situated," she said. "Sit in front of me, with your back to me."

He did as he was told, climbing onto the bed and then sat in front of here. "I need someone to delete memories or something. That is what I need," Ulquiorra said.

Orihime laughed, taking him by the shoulders and pulling him back into her until he head was cushioned between her breasts and his shoulders settled on her folded legs. "Technically, I may be able to do that, but I think there's a strong possibility of giving you a non-invasive lobotomy at the same time, so let's not take our chances," she chuckled nervously and then said, "Now, just let go and relax. None of that stuff matters. It's just a bunch of memories anyway," she said, starting to knead the back of his neck with her thumbs, infusing just enough of her spiritual energy into the action to make up for her lack of training in massage.

It felt nice. The way her thumbs seemed to walk up his neck then slide back down was really nice. He sighed, letting go of the tension that was melting away. "You know you should do this after you retire from fashion design."

She raised an eyebrow although he couldn't see. "I suppose by then I will be old and wrinkly enough that you wouldn't care if I had to touch other people," she smirked and giggled. "Or are you talking about me doing this to you full-time?"

He hummed as she kneaded a particularly tight spot. "Become my personal massage therapist," he said.

"Alright, I'll put it on my resume," she said, bringing her hands over to his jaws for a couple moments and then back down his neck to his shoulders.

Ulquiorra sighed, "I don't know why I'm so angry at Kurosaki. The mere mention of his name and I want to rip heads off shoulders and punch things."

"I understand. I really do. I know I try to talk you down all the time but it's not because I don't think he deserves your anger, it's because I want to protect you. Still, you are right, the intensity of your feelings can be viewed as disproportionate. Do you think it's because somewhere deep inside, you still don't trust me?" She asked this like a talk therapist might ask a patient, calm and without judgment.

He shook his head as much as he could with it wedged between her tits. "No, its because he killed me. He took something from me I'll never get back."

She nodded. "I've not died yet that I can remember, but I imagine it's not something you just get over. Still, it's not good for your well-being to feel so angry. Maybe instead of thinking about what you lost, you can work toward gaining new things? Rebuilding yourself? You could train your spiritual powers more. I mean, I know we have lives and careers and our relationship and whatnot, but it's still a big part of your identity. It's probably not good to ignore it."

Tilting his head up, Ulquiorra glanced at her. How could he make her understand? "Do you remember when Yammy broke that airplane you sent at him? I noticed after you fell that your hairpins didn't reform into their original shape. So he broke it right? He took away that power from you."

"Yes," she said, working down his right scapula.

"When Kurosaki killed me, I lost Murcielago… I lost that part of my soul. I lost all that power." Ulquiorra was quiet for a moment. "He took my life and then didn't have the decency to finish what he started."

It made Orihime sad to hear him say this. She wanted so much for this life they had together to be enough for him; enough to make him happy and let go of his past. But his dissatisfaction was consistent - no, it was growing. She could not ever be enough to fill the hole inside of him that Kurosaki had made. "I understand," she said. "But I still don't think vengeance is the answer. What if you do kill him? What then? You will still be as you are now. Would merely getting an eye for an eye satisfy you? Or would you still be chasing what you have lost?" As she finished her question she moved to his left scapula.

"I don't think I would be happy even then," he replied. Ulquiorra exhaled the breath it felt like he had been holding. "It is difficult to comes to terms with. I was absolutely livid when I found out I had no powers after waking up in this world."

"Well, I'm sorry I don't have the answers for you. I wish I could do something, but apart from rejecting all of the events until before we met, I don't think there is anything I can do. And honestly, I very much doubt I would be able to do that," she said, working down his left arm. "Actually, had you never met me, none of this would have happened. You'd still be in Hueco Mundo, no one from Soul Society would have gone there. It would probably all be untouched," she said wistfully, but she pulled her spiritual pressure out of her fingertips at this point, aware that her feelings were making it feel cold and depressed.

He was quiet for a while as she massaged his arm. "You're happy that we met again, after everything I did to you." It was a statement, not a question. "You're happy that it was me who kidnapped you and tried to brainwash you as Kurosaki put it?"

She took a deep, uneasy breath as she moved her hands over to right arm. "I believe that life is a series of circumstances that dictate infinite possible outcomes. It is each person's action in every circumstance he is faced with that dictates the present, and the present is the only reality that exists. The past is a shadow and the future is a mirage. As far as I know, I am the only person with the power to manipulate the past, which may or may not alter the present and by extension, the future. I would never use that power to alter any part of my timeline until now. I would suffer the abuse of my parents again. I would watch my brother's death again. I would follow you again to Hueco Mundo. I would make the same mistakes. I would do all of it again a thousand times. This present is my reality. This is what I want my reality to be."

Ulquiorra wanted to say she avoided the question but in all honesty, she answered it perfectly. He sat up and turned around before kissing Orihime, hands coming up to cup her face. "I'm not saying I'm unhappy all the time, Orihime. It's just when Kurosaki is mentioned or he's around I wish I was an Espada again," he explained.

"Okay," she said with a little nod and a tiny smile. "Then, for at least the next twenty-four hours, can we pretend he doesn't exist?"

He pursed his lips for a moment before nodding. "For you I can do that," he answered.

She narrowed her eyes at him, before finally sighing and saying, "Then get packed, we have a train to catch."

Ulquiorra gave her a small smile. "Is this just an overnight trip? What am I supposed to bring?"

"Um, yeah, it's just one night. Bring some clothes to wear back to town tomorrow. In fact, it's a resort, so apart from the clothes you wear there and back, you can just wear the yukata they provide. I'm bringing a dress for dinner though, so if you want to bring a shirt and some slacks that would be sufficient."

He sprung off the bed and grabbed his bag that was in the closet then proceeded to pack. About ten minutes later he was ready to go. "Thank you, by the way," he said to Orihime.

She gave him a confused smile. "For what? We're not even there yet."

"For putting up with me? For loving me? For giving me a chance? For not freaking out about the contents of that article?" he stated while ticking each thing off on his fingers.

"You're just lucky you're cute," she teased, pulling him by the back of the neck down to kiss her. "But you're welcome."


	50. Chapter 50

**Chapter 50: A Piece of You**

They got checked in to the resort and were shown to their room. It was even better than in the brochure. The entirety of one side of their suite was lined by a wall of windows that led to a balcony overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Even though it was seasonably cold outside, the room was warm, and the very best part, the part Orihime had been looking forward to the most, was that they had a steaming private hot spring on the balcony. She had not been to an open-air hot spring since high school, and she was very much looking forward to it.

She quickly put her bags, including the one with Ulquiorra's gift, into the closet of the room and turned to face him. "So, birthday boy, what would you like to do first? We could explore the resort, check out the game room or the gift shop, or we could strip naked and jump in the tub, or we could sit and do nothing, or pig out on the snacks they put on the table," she said, counting off the options on her fingertips.

Ulquiorra was overwhelmed by everything. The scenery was what got him the most. There was an entire expanse of dark blue water outside of this room's window and it made him feel very small. He wanted to do anything but go out onto the balcony. "Um, well, I'm kind of hungry but we could explore for a bit first," he said to her.

"Oh, okay," Orihime replied, surprised but not disappointed. "There is a place to get tea and light snacks before dinner downstairs, we could go there when we're done looking around or in the middle of looking around. And the tea should be better than that dank stuff Aizen used to make us drink," she teased.

"I never drank it… well sometimes I did at those Espada meetings but other than that no," he stated. "It wasn't the best stuff. We had no clue where it came from. Like, did he stockpile supplies for the last hundred years in Hueco Mundo? Anyway, honestly, it doesn't matter what we do, Woman. I'm just happy to be with you today."

She smiled and took his hand, leading the way. They stopped at the gift shop and the arcade, playing some games and taking some purikura. Orihime tried desperately to get Ulquiorra to smile, and he did, but it seemed like every time the flash went off his face reverted to his standard RBF. They played the UFO Catcher game, which Ulquiorra sucked at, but Orihime managed to win him a Hello Kitty decorated with tea leaves; the region they were in, Shizuoka, was famous for tea production. He kicked her ass in a first-person shooter game, which was no surprise to either of them.

They stopped for some of that famous tea after leaving the game room and both agreed it was superior to the swill served at Las Noches, and they had some snacks to tide them over until dinner. After that they went to look at the glassed-in courtyard garden and then went back up to their room. They had about an hour to kill before dinner.

Orihime couldn't wait anymore. "So, I can tell that you don't really want to but I am dying to go out there and use the hot spring, so if you just want to stay in and watch me or TV or get some rest, feel free. I'm going out there," she said, already pulling her clothes off as she made her way to the shower.

Ulquiorra sighed. "I never said that. It's just that I've never been to a place like this. I have no clue what to do."

"Oh, well, it's easy!" she said, grinning at him. "Just rinse your body off and get in slowly and relax. It's hot though, so if it feels like you're getting tired or something, get your upper body out of the water at least until you feel normal again. It is really good for your skin, too. There are lots of minerals in the water, so it's a little cloudy, but they will make your skin soft like a baby's. Also, this is a private bath so you can pretty much just do what you want and nobody will say anything," she grinned and paused for any questions.

Hmmm. It seemed like Orihime had something in mind. Ulquiorra nodded. "Seems simple enough. No one will bitch about my tattoos?" He asked.

"Nope. Nobody will be able to see them. Come look," she said, pointing out the balcony attached to the room. "That steamy thing there is ours. Nobody else can see it or use it. The walls on either side prevent access from anywhere except through this room."

Looking out the window, Ulquiorra saw what she was talking about. Was she thinking what he thought she was thinking? He glanced at his wife. "You're planning on fucking me in that aren't you?"

She looked at him astonished. "I never!" Her face dropped into a sly grin. "Okay maybe, but probably not yet. Maybe later. We are a bit pressed for time. It depends how relaxed we get."

"Ha!" he laughed. "Orihime you're a naughty woman. I, uh, um, l've never actually have had sex in public before."

"That's not true. We did it in your stairwell, in a club bathroom, and apparently on the internet somewhere. Oh wait that's right, it was just a picture, Still, this isn't exactly public. Any fishermen out there would need a very powerful telescope to even see the tops of our heads and when you get out there, the noise from the sea and the water flow is kind of muffling. We just need to keep our voices down."

"The club bathroom wasn't public. I wasn't fucking you out in the open," he countered.

Orihime smirked at him. "Well as far as I'm concerned, let people see. I'm not embarrassed that I enjoy making love to my husband, and if anyone is offended by it, it's their fault for looking!" She approached and put her arms around his neck. "But really, besides the birds, no one will see. And if the birds make you uncomfortable, we can just relax in there. There is no reason we have to fuck outside. And from all accounts fucking underwater isn't as great as it sounds. The girls in Thailand talked a lot."

His eyes narrowed when she said that. When she went to Thailand they weren't together, but Ulquiorra always has this mental image that Orihime had stayed true to him. She could have slept with someone else and it was none of his business. "Oh, well, we can try it," he said. "Later of course."

She saw him flinch, but she decided not to mention it until they were in the tub and he was more mellow. "Ladies first then I guess. You don't need to bring any clothes out there, just a towel. See you in a minute," she said, ducking into the bathroom and running the water for about three minutes and she scrubbed the lotions and dead cells off her skin, then threw her hair up in a messy bun on top of her head. "Your turn!" she said as she let herself out onto the balcony.

The artist watched the redhead and then undressed in front of the windows. After he was naked, Ulquiorra walked into the bathroom to shower. He emerged from the bathroom a short time later with a towel. He opened the door to the balcony and stepped outside. "Fuck it's cold." His teeth started chattering.

"You'll appreciate that once you're in here. Come on, birthday boy!" she called to him from behind a veil of steam.

He dropped the towel on the deck and took several steps toward Orihime's voice. He saw her hair and her body which was surrounded by steaming water. He had never taken a bath in a tub so he was unsure of how to approach this. The temptation of just jumping into the pool was growing but he had to remember that he was an adult and had to act like it.

Orihime saw the look on his face and the gleam in his eye. "Oh, no. Don't you dare. You would regret it so hard, and not because of me. Trust me," she said, splashing his feet only.

"I'm never allowed to have any fun," he said before dipping a foot in. "Holy fuck! That is hot! It's cold out here and that water is at the other end of the spectrum!"

"Yep. There is an active volcano around here that heats this water. This bath is powered by HOT LAVA!" she drew out the words in a childish way, then laughed at herself.

Ulquiorra knew about volcanoes. He knew about earthquakes and other natural disasters. They were prime time for devouring souls. He took a glance at the ocean. This place was totally fucked if a tsunami ever hit and if that didn't happen, sitting on top of a volcano was an excellent picture of stupidity. "Okay, smart ass. How do I get into this human boiling pot?"

"There is a railing over here by me and I'm sitting on an underwater bench that you can use as a step. I recommend just doing one leg at a time and letting your body get used to it. Plus then I can get a nice long look at your junk," she giggled.

He rolled his eyes at that. She could get a glance at his dick any time she wanted. She never took advantage of it though. Ulquiorra squinted through the steam and saw the railing. Using it, he held on while putting one foot into the scalding liquid. A hiss left him. "You humans are weird. Let's boil ourselves alive. Sounds like amazing fun," he muttered as he moved his other foot into the pool.

"You're going to love it once you get used to it," she said in a singsong voice. She waited and watched as he very, very slowly lowered himself into the water, a little disappointed whine leaving her as his ass was submerged and she couldn't look at it or his front anymore. When he finally sat down beside her, she asked, "There, how's that, better?"

After he got used to it, she was right. It felt wonderful. It was heavenly. It was almost as good as chocolate cake and sex. "I don't want to ever leave," he replied.

"I knew it," she said, turning to face forward and leaning her head back, totally unconcerned with how it made her breasts float halfway out of the water like torpedo-shaped buoys. "It's actually more relaxing being in here with you than in a women's bath. They won't hesitate to grope you in there if you look interesting."

"The last thing I want to do is be around a bunch of women," he said staring at her, mostly her chest. "What makes you think I won't grope you?" Ulquiorra reached out a hand and let his fingers brush her nipples with a smirk on his face.

"Heh," she laughed, cracking her eyes open at him. "The difference is that you are allowed to. They will just do it whether I like it or not. Speaking of girls and water, I saw you flinch when I brought up Thailand. What were you thinking?"

He turned his head away from her and shrugged while looking out at the ocean. "Dunno, things. How we weren't together. How if you fucked someone else it's none of my business."

Ah. That. "Well, you're right and you're wrong. If we hadn't gotten back together it would have been none of your business. But we're married now. I have never fucked anyone else. I have never kissed anyone else since we got together. There was an incident after I found out about your little non-starter tryst, but it was just some entitled photographer grabbing my leg under a table for a minute and then I excused myself. That is the extent of my adventures in Thailand."

"That's the thing, Orihime. We weren't together, so if you wanted to do something like that, you could have. I couldn't say shit. The moment I decided to do it I've got people in my face and assholes trying to ruin my life for it. I mean I could have dicked down Yui but it would have been another meaningless fuck and I didn't want that. I wanted you." Ulquiorra sighed. "I'm a shitty guy when you look at it."

"Dude, don't talk shit about my husband," she said, laughing halfheartedly. "Seriously, You may have acted shitty in the past. You are not shitty though. I have better taste than that."

Shaking his head, Ulquiorra kept his eyes on that agoraphobia-inducing view. "I know why you say that. It's because you know a side of me that no one else has seen. Almost everything in that article is true. I led Yui on."

"Did you really? It seems to me it was more of a mutual delusion. She was desperate to snag you and you were desperate for companionship. She was willing to pretend to be your friend in order to try to seduce you. Men do that to women all the time and you know what? It's shitty. It's equally shitty when she did it to you. That you accepted her fake friendship is a reflection on her, not you. I mean, Quin told me how you treated her. It sounded to me like you weren't crossing any lines."

"It figures Ishida would report back to you. I contemplated it. I was going to but then I saw you in that club and I couldn't. I didn't want to." Ulquiorra turned back to Orihime. "I'm being a depressing asshole again," he said with a small sarcastic laugh.

"It's your birthday. If you want to fill it with morose self-reflection that's your choice," she smiled at him.

"Do you regret it? I mean not experiencing someone else before you got stuck with me? Does that bother you?"

"No."

He reached out with a hand again, encircling her breast with his fingers. "You really are a great woman, Orihime. You know I love you."

She smiled at him and sighed, enjoying his touch for what it was, not for what might lead to. "You are a great man, and I love you too. I know you don't believe me when I tell you you are great sometimes, but I plan to keep pointing it out to you until you accept the facts."

"Yeah, you think my stubborn ass is going to accept the facts?" Ulquiorra smiled at her before he let his hand travel lower. "You're going to be pointing it out for a while."

"I am fine with that," she said, squirming a bit. "By the way, did I tell you about dinner?"

He was barely paying attention to her. Ulquiorra was more focused on his hand and where it was going. "Hmmm? What about it?"

She bit her lip, trying to ignore how his hand was making her feel. "It is probably the fanciest meal I'll have ever had in my life,"

"Really? I saw this swanky Italian place in Nikko," Ulquiorra murmured just before he brushed against those red curls. He pulled his hand away and smiled at her. "I would love to take you out on a proper date. Not noodles and a night club."

She squeezed her buttcheeks together and tried to mentally chase away the arousal that was creeping into her brain. "Ahem. There is naught wrong with noodles and a nightclub, but I would love to be properly wooed, Mr. Cifer. Anyway, the place is going to be one where each of us gets our own waiter. There's going to be courses. We'll have a different drink at each course so don't finish it if you don't want to pass out before I give you your present," she said with a somewhat nervous smile.

"You assume I'm going to drink. I'll just ask for water, Hime. I know when to drink and went not to drink," he said. Ulquiorra stared at the cloudy surface of the water and then back at his wife. "Wait, present? You mean this isn't my present?"

"It's part of it, but I wanted to give you something wrapped up for you to open, otherwise it doesn't feel like a birthday to me," she answered. "Also, you will get the drinks whether you want them or not. If you don't want them just don't drink them. Same with the food. I'm sure I'll end up feeling a bit guilty for wasting but this is how this type of thing is done. It is supposed to be excessive. No one expects you to be able to finish it."

Understanding came over him. He was supposed to indulge and enjoy himself. "Okay, so eat the food and drink very little, is that what you're saying?"

"Yeah, But pace yourself. Don't fill up on carbs early on or you'll regret it later when the good stuff comes out and you're too full to enjoy it," she laughed. "Oh wait, I forgot about your superhuman appetite. If you're really feeling up to it you can have whatever I don't finish," she said with a laugh.

He huffed. "I used to eat normally before someone gave me superpowers," he deadpanned.

"Hey, I like a man who can eat hearty," she said with a giggle. "It shows youthful vigor."

"Are you calling me old?" Ulquiorra asked. He let his hand stroke her thigh. If she was calling him old, he would show her.

"Well I know your body is twenty-six, but you've gotta be pushing what, 300?" She laughed. "I don't really see it that way, I'm just teasing you."

He wasn't laughing as his fingers grasped her thigh. "Really? Three hundred? You might be right but that was back when chivalry wasn't dead. So I have that going for me."

"Oh? What's that like, then," she asked, an involuntary shiver traveling up her spine.

He scooted closer to her and put his lips next to her ear. "No clue. I lived in Spain or near there, I remember that much," he murmured. "Something wrong, Woman?"

She was going to act the way she normally did, but she reminded herself that it was his birthday and he deserved to have his ego stroked. She whined. "Wrong in the kind of way that you don't want to tell granny about but otherwise so very right."

"Oh well if someone's grandmother would think this is wrong I better stop," he teased. Ulquiorra pulled away from her and stood up. "Wouldn't want to scandalize the birds."

A wicked impulse crossed her mind and before she gave it any thought she lunged forward and grabbed him by the thigh and dragged her tongue across the front of his pelvis, not even bothering to avoid his penis, then pulled him back into the water. "We still have a few more minutes before we have to get out, Love," she murmured into his ear, which was now right next to her mouth.

"We should get out before we get all pruny. Later I will fuck you with my fingers in this thing, after dinner," Ulquiorra said in a low voice. His breathing had sped up slightly just from the brief contact of her tongue against his body.

She did a fake little sigh. "If you say so, you're the boss today," she said matter-of-factly and stood, getting out of the tub and grabbing her towel, but not bothering to wrap herself up in it, instead just standing there with her ass toward him several feet away as he still sat in the tub, the steam rising off of her body in the cold night air like a racehorse in the morning. She twisted around and asked, "What, you afraid of getting cold? It's bracing but it wakes you up."

He wasn't afraid of the cold. Ulquiorra was trying to will his hard-on away. Damn penis had a mind of its own at times. He shook his head before getting out of the tub also. Orihime was his wife; he really didn't think she cared if his dick was hard or not. He walked past her and grabbed the other towel he threw down, bending over to pick it up.

An appreciative hum was heard, and she fought the urge to whip his ass with her towel. "I could get used to this view," she said. She wasn't looking at the ocean. She shook her head. She knew she had been playing dirty and this was just payback. She didn't mind though. She walked right up to her husband and cupped his buttcheeks and squeezed. "Damn those are some fine glutes," she said, then let him go and trotted inside.

"What?" Ulquiorra said, straightening up. He looked at his wife's back and scowled. "Yeah, well, you too!"

"This is a really weird argument," Orihime called from inside, laughing. She had left the door open.

A chilly breeze blew which was enough to make Ulquiorra scurry inside. He shut the door. "I'm going to tease you during dinner."

"I'm looking forward to it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a very short amount of time to make myself pretty for your birthday dinner," she said, now with the towel covering her front as she backed into the bathroom.

* * *

"I'm dying," Orihime said as they left the restaurant, patting her full belly. The midnight blue dress she wore did not have a lot of give and she was looking forward to getting out of it as soon as possible.

"I forbid you from dying," Ulquiorra said, walking beside her. He had really enjoyed the food and even felt full after all he had consumed. "Did I tell you that you look stunning in that color?"

"You did not, in fact, but better late than never," she said, smiling up to him and taking his hand. "Did I tell you you look stunning always?"

His eyes shifted towards her and he smirked. Ulquiorra didn't think he looked stunning though. He wore a pair of dark gray trousers with a light gray shirt that had cuffs and had to be buttoned up. He didn't really like clothes like this. He might have enjoyed an outfit like this when he was an Espada though. "You might have said that a couple of times while I was in hearing range," he replied.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I am anxious to continue your birthday celebration. It's getting late. I have to give you your present before midnight or it will turn into a pumpkin." It was only about 9:00 but she was getting nervous and wanted to have it over with so they could enjoy the rest of the night.

"Okay, why haven't you given it to me yet?" He asked, giving her a confused look. What kind of witchy thing had she done that something would turn into a pumpkin?

As they approached their room, her nerves were starting to get the better of her. "I just wanted the timing to be right," she said. "Why don't you have a seat at the tea table and I'll go get it, alright?" she said as the door opened, unable to keep a slight shakiness out of her voice.

He grabbed her hand before she went inside. "Woman, what is wrong? Are you ill again?"

She shook her head. She didn't want him to worry. "No it's nothing like that, I'm just nervous to give you this… I'm afraid you're not going to like it. But don't worry, if you don't like it we can just… Get something you _do_ like, okay?"

He didn't understand. "What could you be so nervous about?" Ulquiorra's brow creased and he looked at her with concern. "Do I really need to sit out here while you get it?"

"I feel like a certain level of formality is required, or it might be weird. Also it may be dangerous without the proper space," she said, rummaging in the closet. "Are you sitting down yet?"

With a sigh, he sat at that table with his hands on his thighs, wondering what could be such a big deal that it made her nervous and had to include formalities. "I am now," he answered.

"Okay," she said, taking a deep breath and then emerging from the next room carrying a long, black, rectangular case which was at least three-quarters of her height in length. She carried it to the table and set it in front of Ulquiorra. There was a cheap little paper bow on top that looked comical. "Happy birthday, Ulquiorra. Open it," she said, kneeling on the opposite side of the table.

He glanced up at her and then down at the black box. He had never received a gift before. Gingerly, Ulquiorra reached out and plucked the bow off the top of it before placing it on the table. He looked over the shiny wood and then carefully opened the latch on the case. He knew Orihime was watching him as he lifted the lid slowly; he could feel her gaze. When his eyes saw what was in the box he nearly dropped the lid.

Murcielago.

_No._

It couldn't be.

Inside that case lay his sword. Was this the same one that had clashed with Kurosaki's blade? He swallowed and let his eyes travel from the weapon in the box, across the wooden top of the tea table and up his wife's chest to her face. "You," he stumbled over that one word. "You-"

He shook his head unable to speak. Ulquiorra didn't even know what he was feeling. He couldn't describe it.

Orihime nibbled on her lower lip and smiled awkwardly. "I'm sorry, I know you just told me that you wanted to do it yourself, but when I decided to do it it was months and months ago and I just had the idea and ran with it without thinking it through. I mean it's not like I was careless, I argued with the swordsmith about all the details and insisted everything be exactly how I remembered but in the end it's just a replica…" she had babbled until she was out of breath and then looked down at her lap and back up to Ulquiorra, with an embarrassed half-smile.

It was impossible. It was exactly what he wanted. Even if it was only a replica of Murcielago, this woman had put a part of her soul into it. Suddenly he realized what he was feeling. Ulquiorra stood, moving around the small table then got back down on his knees and allowed his forehead to touch the floor as he bowed. "Thank you, Orihime," he said with a choked voice.

Orihime was shocked by his action and didn't know what to do or say, and for a long moment the pair of them just stayed still as they were. Soon enough, Orihime reached a hand to his head, running her fingers to one side of his face and using the tips to gently urge his head up by the jaw. "Please," was all she could think to say.

He sat back up but kept his head down. Ulquiorra didn't want to show her that his eyes were red or that he had shed tears. She would think he was silly. "Sorry," he managed to say.

"Sorry?" she whispered. She was completely confused now. Why was he sorry? Sorry because he rejected her gift? Sorry because he didn't know what to say? What was it? She put her palms on the floor and lowered her face until she could see his wet eyes. When she did, she launched herself into his arms. She didn't care if he hated it and wanted to throw it into the sea. She just wanted to take away whatever was causing him such distress. "Don't worry, it's alright. I love you."

"I'm sorry; I made a fool of myself. Thank you for Murcielago." Ulquiorra wrapped his arms around her, closed his eyes and hugged her tightly. He was overwhelmed with gratitude at her actions. "You said you had been planning this for months? When?"

"Um, right after we got back together, after our first break up. And no, you are _not _a fool."

Oh. Ulquiorra didn't know what to say to that. She had cared so much that she had spent that long on this? "Thank you, Orihime. I don't know if it's perfect, but I love it already. You've-You've given me a part of your soul with this gift. I will cherish it. You heard me last week talk about wanting a sword… you couldn't have known..."

She smiled, finally, starting to accept that he was happy about her gift. "I didn't know, but I felt like it might make you happy, so I wanted to give it to you. Why don't you test the weight? I never held Murcielago, but I guessed it would be light and nimble."

Ulquiorra let her go and stood, walking to the other side of the table. He looked down at the replica of his sword, feeling apprehensive now. He reached with his hand and grabbed the object by the hilt, lifting it. Once the weapon was free from the case, the former Espada evaluated it.

Orihime was right, though. Murcielago had been light and nimble. Ulquiorra needed something like that because of his lightning speed. This version of the sword felt only slightly off but it felt exactly right in his grip. He turned it, using his wrist and saw a small number 4 etched into the metal of the blade. It looked exactly like the one on his chest.

Oh.

Ulquiorra's eyes caught Orihime's gaze and that feeling of being overwhelmed with emotion hit him again. Somehow she knew. His wife knew how important his position had been to him. "I don't deserve this, but thank you, Orihime."

She smiled, wiping tears from her eyes. "I'm so glad you like it," she whispered. "Happy birthday."

Placing the sword back into the case and putting the lid back on, Ulquiorra shuffled over to where Orihime sat and offered her his hand. "I know what else I want from you for my birthday, unless you're too full from dinner."

She took his hand and rose to her feet. "And what is that?" she asked, wiping one last drop off her face.

"I want to make love to you," he whispered, pulling her close.

She grinned over his shoulder. "As you wish," she said, her smile coloring her voice with a pleased warmth and returning his embrace with enthusiasm.

* * *

"Sir, I think I found a place for you." Yamada was standing in the doorway of Orihime's studio.

It was nearing Christmas, but that didn't matter to Ulquiorra. He never celebrated holidays. He peeked at the man from behind the canvas he was working on. "And?" Ulquiorra asked, clearly unimpressed with being bothered. He finally found his inspiration and his assistant wanted to bother him.

"I took in your specifications and there is a loft apartment in Shinjuku that is available. It's small though. About the size of two of these rooms," Yamada said.

Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes. The man still acted like he was scared of him. He shook his head and scoffed. "Did you even take in Orihime's considerations?"

"Yes, and all the apartments I've seen do not fit your wishlist at all. The good thing about this loft is that it is on the fourth floor-"

"I'll think it over and let you know later tonight," Ulquiorra stated disappearing behind the canvas again. He heard the door close and texted Yamada to find Orihime and see if she needed any help then went back to working on one of the new abstracts for his show that would be in January.

Takeda had him working non-stop with 6 upcoming gallery shows throughout the next year. There were interviews and modeling jobs also. He declined all offers to be the face of big name brands. It wasn't his style to put himself in the spotlight like that.

He dabbed paint onto a particularly gruesome area of the painting that was supposed to depict blood. Red, browns and black marred this canvas. Ulquiorra was going to call this painting, "_Ira_", a sort of homage to Yammy. After he felt satisfied with the painting he stood back, taking a photo with his phone and sent it to Orihime along with a message.

\- What do you think?

Orihime had been looking over applications from potential models for her show when she got the text from Ulquiorra. She looked at the picture for a long time, She always very much enjoyed his abstract paintings, even though she didn't always understand their significance. She felt that they gave a pure kind of insight into the way that he felt about certain memories; ideas that could not be translated into words or symbols. This one was a perfect example. Although the colors and brushstrokes pointed to imagery of blood and brutality, there was also an underlying nuance of respect and something difficult to name… maybe something close to familiarity.

\- It is fabulous. Very warlike and gory. Also makes me think of feelings of allegiance. Well done :) Are you going to work some more today? I still have a stack of applications to get through. Do you know what you want for dinner? Xoxo

Tilting his head, Ulquiorra read her text. Allegiance? When he remembered Yammy it was nothing fond. He merely tolerated the other Espada, but he could see where Orihime had gotten the idea. He messaged her back.

\- Maybe. Yamada found a studio space for me. It's another loft. Um, not sure on food. What are you up for?

Orihime' eyes widened at his message. Another loft? Hopefully this one had an elevator. She wasn't sure why, but the idea of him getting his own space was suddenly giving her anxiety. It was probably just that she had gotten comfortable with their arrangement and now it was going to change again. It would be a hassle until she got used to it and then the new arrangement would be comfortable too, surely. She shouldn't worry about it.

\- I am easy. I'm kind of in the mood for pasta. I can cook, if you want.

Since moving in with Orihime, Ulquiorra had not gotten the chance to cook. They rarely ate at the apartment. It was probably because the kitchen gave him some seriously bad vibes. He was always afraid of Ishida coming home and yelling because they had used the kitchen. He didn't feel like going anywhere though.

\- Sounds great. Need me to pick up anything?

She smiled at that, and was starting to get excited. She had heated things up for him and done simple things, like eggs and toast, but she had never cooked a proper meal for him before.

\- Yeah, if you don't mind. I'm at my agent's office so it would be kind of hard for me to stop at the store. I'll make a list and send it to you 3

He scoffed. It seemed like she needed a personal assistant more than he did at times. "Maybe she should have Yamada and I could borrow him," he said to himself. Thinking about the idea, it wasn't horrible.

\- You need an assistant, not me. Tell Yamada he works for both of us now… more you than me, though. With Takeda around, I don't seem to need an assistant as much.

Orihime was surprised she didn't think of it sooner. Still, it would have been presumptuous to steal her husband's assistant.

\- Sounds like a good idea, but you better send him a message confirming this. He's afraid of you, so he won't believe me if I tell him by myself.

Ulquiorra smirked. He knew it. That gray-haired shit was scared of him. The artist scrolled through his contacts and pressed Yamada's name with the side of his thumb. Might as well give him verbal confirmation.

"Sir?"

"You are now my wife's assistant and I will be borrowing you from time to time. Got it?"

"What?" Yamada sounded surprised. "I mean-"

"Drop the act Yamada. I don't bite. You don't have to act like you have a stick up your ass all the time," Ulquiorra stated. He sighed. "Look, Orihime needs the help. She likes you. Go help her and occasionally I'll call you if I need you. Yes, you'll be paid for helping both of us; deal?"

"Sure, I guess," came the reply.

"Good now get your ass down to her agent's office. She's going through some type of applications."

Ulquiorra hung up and then texted the redhead.

\- Done. He should be there soon.

* * *

"Thanks Hiro, you're a lifesaver," Orihime said, smiling, as she sent _her _assistant off with a grocery list. It felt weird. None of the other students she knew of had a personal assistant. Then again, none of the other students were married to celebrity artists either, so she figured she probably wasn't being fair comparing herself to them anyway.

Hiro had helped her sift through her stack of headshots and took the contact information to arrange in-person auditions for later in the week. It left her free to go back to talk to Nakamura again before she had to leave. He had set her to work looking through the headshots in a conference room, so she returned to his office and knocked on the door.

He motioned for her to come in and shut the door. She did and sat down as Ken leaned forward with a patronizing expression, his floppy brown hair shading his glasses as he said, "Now then, Mrs. Murcielago—"

"Please, call me Orihime," the redhead interrupted.

"Orihime. Right. Well then, Orihime, I have arranged a few more appearances for you for this week. I also have more offers or you to model, which I feel compelled to float past you despite your standing directive."

The older man passed her a schedule of sponsored appearances, where she would be compensated for coming out to an event wearing or using a particular brand's products or in the company of specific people. This week there was a cosmetic store opening and an appearance at a club she had never been to called Crescent, where a relatively unknown recording artist would be playing a live set. His label was willing to pay a modest sum to so-called influencers to come and listen and have a good time. It was mutually beneficial; potentially increasing each party's exposure and influence.

Orihime agreed to both events and then Nakamura spoke again, "Orihime, I have turned down most offers for you to model on your behalf, but I have two offers that I think might pique your interest." The man turned around his computer monitor for her to see. The first website he showed her was for a gravure magazine, where she would be paid handsomely to pose in bikinis and in the nude, although without exposing her nipples or pelvic area.

"That's a hard no," Orihime said, shaking her head. "Have you met my husband? He would _not _be pleased."

"But Orihime, this is a very lucrative offer. Would you like me to talk to your husband about the details? You would be decent the entire time—"

Orihime cut him off with a sharp laugh, "Yeah, you do that. Send him an email and see what he says." She laughed again and muttered under her breath, "It's your funeral."

Ken scoffed and said, "I think you might be surprised, Orihime. Your husband has modeled with you in less. I'll send his agent the info to pass on," he paused, typing out a quick message and the clicking his mouse with a flourish and announcing, "and, sent! There now, here's the other offer," he said, closing the window for the gravure magazine website and revealing another tab for a bridal wear designer. "This designer is about to do a shoot for the new gowns she'll be adding to her collection this season and has asked for you specifically. It's not exactly something someone of your visibility would usually do, but it's one or two days' work and you are a new bride yourself; I thought you might enjoy it."

Orihime tilted her head as she considered this possibility. She would never have a wedding of her own; if something ever happened to Ulquiorra she doubted she would ever remarry. This might be the only chance she ever had to see herself wearing something like that. "Let me think about that one for a day or two," she murmured, lost in thought.

"Very well. They would like a response by Thursday, so please have your decision made by then. Otherwise I will speak to you tomorrow unless you have anything else to discuss?"

"No, thank you Mr. Nakamura," she said, standing and gathering her things. "I'll talk to you tomorrow.

* * *

Orihime got home before Ulquiorra and Hiro stopped by shortly thereafter with the shopping. She got to work cooking a pasta of her own design. It was relatively normal by her standards, seasoned with chicken bouillon, sake, garlic, onions, and red pepper flakes. She sautéed some chunks of chicken thighs and broccoli and tossed it all together with some linguine and Parmesan cheese and lemon juice. She tasted it and thought it needed some green Tabasco for kick, but thought it best to leave that as a table condiment.

She texted Ulquiorra.

\- You on your way? Dinner's ready.

He was staring at a blank canvas, totally zoned out. He was having a daydream or a flashback. Sometimes it happened but it was rare. Usually when it occurred there would be a flurry of artistic activity. He barely heard the ding of his phone but it was enough to break him out of his trance. With a sigh he dug the device out of his pocket and looked at the screen.

Shit. He had forgotten about food but it looked like Orihime had not sent him a grocery list though. Maybe she sent Yamada to get things.

\- uh, be there in a bit. Got sidetracked and caught up in stuff. Give me 5 minutes?

Orihime got the message as she was washing up after the mess she had made in the kitchen, and replied.

\- oh, okay. I'll wait for you.

It took him four minutes to walk halfway before using flash step to get to the apartment building. He walked into the apartment, toeing off his shoes. "I'm here," he said, walking into bedroom where he thought he heard Orihime. She wasn't there.

"Hi!" she called out, pulling plates from the cupboard and dishing herself a normal human portion and piling a mountain of about three times that on a plate for her husband. She brought the plates out to their dining table while Ulquiorra was presumably in the bedroom changing. "You can start eating as soon as you get out here, I'm just going to get some water for us," she called out, ducking back into the kitchen.

He walked out of the room to where the table was and looked at the monster serving of food on one plate. Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow, confused. Was that Orihime's plate? He scrunched up his face. "Woman, which one is mine?"

"The big one. Whatever you can't eat we can save for Quin," she said, trailing off, somewhat disappointed in herself for acting like their roommate would eat their scraps like a family pet. She shook it off; she was certain Ulquiorra would eat all that he was given. It only looked like a lot because her serving was small in comparison.

That made sense. He sat down in front of the mound of pasta and waited for Orihime to get to the table before he started eating. Ulquiorra wanted to tell her about his day or at least hear about her day. "Yamada help you out?" he asked.

"Yep, he was a lifesaver. I'd still be in Mr. Nakamura's office without him. He is even going to coordinate all the model auditions for me," she paused to take a bite and nodded, pleased at her cooking, but then started raining drops of green Tabasco over the noodles liberally. "Do you want some of this? Gives it a bit of a kick. How was your day?"

He gave her a curious glance before he shook his head. He remembered how Orihime used to cook. She'd mix stuff that didn't belong together in something and call it food. "It was okay. I finished two paintings and had an idea for a third, which I want to get started on soon as I can. Yamada found a place for me. I was telling you about it earlier. If it does meet my criteria, I can move my stuff there, once all the paperwork is filled out and stuff. What do you think?"

"I think it's fine. I feel like sharing the same workspace, at least the same _creative_ workspace, isn't very productive for us. I think our spiritual pressure might muddle one another's original ideas. Usually that's not a bad thing, but we're both artists, in one form or another. Sometimes we need to nurture ideas on our own. I don't know. I could be totally off, it just seems like a little… there is too much attraction and distraction. Does that make sense?" She wasn't sure she understood what she was saying so she didn't have much hope that he would.

"Well, I can understand the attraction thing. If you're in the studio with me all I want to do is touch you and bend you over your work table," he said before taking a bite. The pasta was surprisingly good. He chewed for a moment then swallowed. "I can see how our spiritual pressure might mix and we could be influencing each other's creativity."

She nodded. "Even if I'm wrong, we don't get that studio space forever. If you like the place Hiro found, you should pounce. How do you like the pasta?"

"I'll call Yamada tomorrow and have him set it up so that I can look at it. I mean, we're not going to be living here forever either," he stated. "After you graduate we might be able to live there… by ourselves. I mean Quin is hardly ever here so it feels like we live by ourselves. And the pasta is great. I like the-this doesn't really have a sauce to it but it tastes nice."

"Thanks!" She smiled as she chewed. "Okay, if you like the place, have Hiro set up another walkthrough for me. If we're going to live there I want to see it." She paused, remembering the chat she had with her agent. "Did Takeda talk to you late this afternoon?"

He shook his head. Ulquiorra would remember if Takeda talked to him. "No, but I was pretty absorbed in my work," he replied. "Maybe she emailed me? Or texted me?" He left his phone in the bedroom. It would be rude to leave the table and get it. "Why?"

"She probably has enough sense not to run it past you. My agent had a couple of jobs for me. Two appearances that I agreed to and two modeling jobs. I already told him to refuse all offers. One seemed okay though… maybe. The other was a hard pass but he was pushing for it. I told him if he wanted to see some fireworks he should ask you your opinion. He only sees his commission. Anyway, he sent the offer to Takeda to get your opinion."

Ulquiorra stood up and went to check his phone. Sure enough he had an email from Takeda. After reading the contents he walked back to where Orihime sat and resumed his position with a disgruntled look on his face. "Bikini pics? Those I can live with but nudity, no."

"It's not just that. Modeling bikinis to sell bikinis is one thing. The whole point of that magazine is to help men masturbate. I am not naive enough to think that my bikini modeling pictures definitely won't get ripped out of their moms' fashion magazines and end up under some high school boys' futons, but doing pictures that are marketed as softcore porn is not what I want to be known for, even if I'm wearing clothes."

His scowl darkened. "The only one who will be masturbating to pictures of you half dressed is me," he stated. "Maybe I should have met your agent before you signed on with him because it really sounds like he wants to die."

Orihime smirked. "I told him, "have you met my husband? Go ahead and ask him if he approves, it's your funeral," and he just went ahead and sent it to Takeda. Either he has a screw loose or he thinks I'm an idiot."

"I'm going to march down to his office tomorrow with Murcielago in hand and show him how much I approve. If you're going to be doing stuff like that then maybe we should just do porn and adult videos!"

Orihime's eyes widened. "Uh, no thanks. And I don't think brandishing a weapon is necessary, you can be plenty scary without it, Love. I think once I graduate I should start shopping for a new agent though. Clearly Nakamura doesn't share my vision. I don't object though if you want to tell him off."

Ulquiorra growled before stabbing some noodles and chicken on his plate with force. He could feel his anger growing and in turn his spiritual pressure was starting to rise. "This is bullshit. You outlined your terms of what you would accept and what you wouldn't? Doesn't he know?"

"Yeah, I did. He seems to think I am a young, stupid little girl who can't see the bigger picture. He acts like a father who thinks he knows best. At first that was what I liked about him but now it's like… I don't know. And then, the other modeling gig he presented me with was the complete opposite side of the spectrum. I'm thinking about doing it, actually…" she trailed off, looking up at Ulquiorra, trying to gauge his level of interest. She knew there was a good possibility he wouldn't be able to think about anything else but tearing Nakamura apart at the moment.

"What's this other gig? To be completely naked? He fucking wishes," Ulquiorra muttered.

Orihime sighed in a sympathetic sort of way. "No, actually, it's, um," she blushed and stared at the table, mumbling almost incoherently, "wedding gowns."

Instantly his anger faded to background noise levels. "Wedding… gowns?" A jolt of guilt went through Ulquiorra. Maybe they should have stuck to his plan of a long engagement so that he could give her a ceremony with a gown and a honeymoon. Damn those drama programs that taught him all of that. "You want to-"

"Do that job? Maybe. It would be fun, I think, and it's not a common job. And that way if anyone ever was like, "Hey, how was your wedding?" I could be like, "Uh, I dunno but here's me in a wedding dress", heh heh…" she trailed off awkwardly. Her words did not seem to lighten her husband's mood at all. "If you don't want me to do it I won't," she said earnestly after a moment.

He shook his head. "No, it's not that… Maybe… if you find a dress you like… When we get a chance to take a honeymoon..." Ulquiorra trailed off and felt his face getting warm. "Maybe we can have an actual ceremony."

She smiled at him, not expecting that. "Is that something _you _would like?"

Ulquiorra cleared his throat and took a sip of water. "Maybe. I mean do you feel cheated?" he asked.

"Cheated?! No!" She was actually shocked that he might entertain that thought. Going to City Hall had been a mutual decision and she really thought it had been the best for them. "I don't regret what we did for a second," she paused and thought about it a bit more. "I never wanted a big, poofy ceremony. I think modeling the dresses would be fun, like playing dress up. But…" she trailed off, trying to formulate what she wanted to say.

"But? You want a wedding gown?"

"No, but maybe when we go somewhere for a honeymoon we can have a little ceremony… you know, just us and an officiant, making promises to each other and marking the occasion?" she said, her inflection rising and and eyes squinting, worried about how her idea would be received.

"We could do that for our anniversary?" he offered as an option. "I mean I'm pretty booked for a while. You can thank Takeda for that."

She grinned at him. "That sounds perfect to me—" she cut herself off and furrowed her brows. "Wait, do _you_ want a big poofy ceremony? I never asked you."

"What? No, it's just… I've been watching these drama programs on my phone and-well, they always show these big weddings and it makes me think I deprived you of something," Ulquiorra said. He went to take another bite of food, only to find his plate empty. "Oh, is there anymore?"

Orihime grinned and scraped what was left on her plate onto his. "I wasn't lying before we got married. I don't have people to invite, and we aren't conventional. A big ceremony doesn't feel right. I would like standing on a beach somewhere at sunset in a white sundress and telling you how much I love you and how I promise to do it forever, that is if the seagulls aren't too embarrassing for you," she giggled. "I am curious to see how I would look in a big poofy dress though."

He scowled at her. "You're supposed to be putting weight on, not dieting again," Ulquiorra said, pushing the plate towards her. "I'm not really hungry, it's just it tasted good."

"Aw," she said. "Don't worry about that, I'll just have some ice cream."


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter 51: Work Work Work**

Ulquiorra looked confused. He was sitting in Takeda's office in the middle of January. He rarely met his agent unless it was at a function or she needed something signed. He had looked at the studio and decided that he would take it. Orihime had been iffy, but ultimately decided that it would be a good space to have, just in case they wanted a night away from the apartment.

He got his things that had survived the attack on his former loft out of storage and put them into his new space. The artist was kind of pissed off that his computer desk hadn't survived. Either the movers had broken it or Kurosaki and Ishida accidentally shattered the glass top. Whatever. He could replace it, and he had, with a very nice corner desk. He could look out the windows when he sat at the desk and onto the busy streets of Shinjuku.

His bed sat in the loft, along with an empty dresser. His bookshelf partitioned the kitchen space off from the rest of the studio; instead of books and trinkets, it now held his painting supplies like cups of brushes and other stuff he needed to paint, paints, cups of pencils, along with pens and sketchbooks. His easels sat on the opposite side of the room.

It was a nice place to escape to and he had gotten more done since moving his workspace there. Orihime had pouted, but he hoped she understood his position.

But his position was not clear to him.

"What do you mean I'm an executive of UCOM? What is that?"

Takeda rolled her eyes and looked like she was about to slap someone. "Your wife, you know, feisty little redhead? It's not my place to explain what it is. Ask her, but I need to know if you want that on your business cards."

"I don't know," Ulquiorra complained. "I'm going to have to talk to her."

"Go, do it! I need to get this done today. You've put this off for weeks. I need to get your cards out to galleries and for other opportunities!"

Ulquiorra scampered out of her office. Takeda scared him at times. She was like a scornful mom who was constantly nagging him. Not that he knew what parents were like, but she was constantly on his ass for something.

With a sigh, he tried to think of what UCOM was. It definitely sounded like something Orihime would think up.

\- Woman. What is UCOM? Should I put it on my business cards?

Orihime thought hell must have frozen over when she got her husband's text. _ Now _ he cared about UCOM? She'd only been trying to get him to even acknowledge it existed for a couple months. Every time she had brought it up he brushed it off as an annoying business-y issue that he didn't have time for. Little did he know how much of a thing it had become.

\- UCOM? You mean our baby? JK. But not really. It's a limited liability company our lawyer put together for us to handle our business dealings. You and I are the managing partners. Hiro is our only employee. It is what pays for him and our email accounts and websites and insurance and taxes. U.C. O.M. UCOM. Get it? lol

His eyes narrowed at her message. Ulquiorra Cifer… Orihime Murcielago? Oh. The name she presented to the press. He got it. Did his accountant know about this? He squinted at the device in his hand and sighed.

\- Does the money guy know? Obviously Takeda knows. Why am I learning about this now?

He obviously didn't remember. He had slowly been recovering from his trauma with Hirano and Takahashi; at the time he was completely incompetent to do any kind of adult decision-making. She sighed and crafted her response carefully.

\- I tried to tell you about it a lot but you were not interested. I understood, it all happened around the time everything blew up with Hirano. Your money guy knows. I hired him to do UCOM's financials. He still does yours separately as he always has; I didn't think it was right to try to merge anything while you were so preoccupied. So, the money you make goes to your accounts and the money I've been making goes to UCOM and your money guy cuts me a check or I use the UCOM money as a business expense. Once you are comfortable with it you can do that too. You aren't under any obligation to do that though. The royalty money you paid me paid off my debts and some of it went into a small savings account for me and the rest of it was invested into UCOM. It's how I pay Hiro. It's how we pay our agents and the money guy and the lawyer. It's how we pay our rent, except for your studio.

Her messenger app cut her off in the beginning part of her next sentence but she realized she had been rambling so she just sent it like that.

He had to go over her message with a fine tooth comb; that's how it felt. Ulquiorra didn't understand it at all though. Maybe one of these days, Orihime could walk him through it all, but it all seemed complicated.

\- Okay, do I put it on my business cards? Takeda says I need new business cards and is asking if I wanted to put it on there.

\- Sure, why not? "C. Murcielago - Visual Artist, Founding Partner/Officer of UCOM." Sounds pretty formidable. What do you think? Too bad you can't add "Espada No. 4" on there. *drools*

He had to chuckle at that. His wife was a silly creature when it came to him. Then again, he was a fool who was absolutely in love with her… Head over heels in love with her.

\- I'm not sure what Takeda has put on them but she wanted my opinion on that. Wife, you might want to close your mouth.

Ulquiorra sent off the text then sent another one to her.

\- Which version of me do you like more? Espada? The Resurrection? Segunda Etapa? Human? Mediocre powered fuckboy?

She giggled at his text; she loved it when he would send her flirty stuff while they were away from each other during the day.

\- None of the above. My favorite version is husband/sex god. But all of the ones you listed had their own merits. Espada? Dead sexy. Resurreccion? HAIR FOR DAYZ. Segunda Etapa? Hnngh… I'm not a furry but damn. Human? Yes please. HARDCORE POWERED EX FUCKBOY: MY LOCKSCREEN. I love you. :P

He was laughing as he entered Takeda's office again. Ulquiorra didn't bother to look at the older woman.

\- Love you too. I could grow my hair out again. I was thinking of getting another haircut. Ugh, wait. Don't tell me you have one of the Pauletto pics as your lock screen!?

Her response was swift.

\- Nope. It's the first selfie you sent me. Also… I like your hair on the shortish side now. It suits you. You could grow it out a bit, though. Do you think I should cut my hair? I've never done more than a trim since I was little.

"Are you and your wife done flirting?" Takeda asked as Ulquiorra flopped back into the chair. "I need an answer Cifer."

Green eyes shifted to his agent. She almost never used his real last name. "Orihime said go ahead. Do you have like a mock up of what this is supposed to look like?"

The older woman clicked something on the computer in front of her and then turned her monitor so that it faced Ulquiorra. It was a boring and generic design.

"I want you to do something, Takeda. Can you put one of my tattoos on the business card?"

"Which one?"

"The horned helmet thing on my chest?"

Takeda sighed, but nodded. She knew which tattoo he was talking about. "Get out of my office and back to your woman," she said.

Ulquiorra was very happy to grant the woman's request. He texted Orihime back as he left the office building.

\- If you cut your hair then I can't wrap it around my fist and pull it while fucking you, so no, do not cut it. Also, where are you? I'm done with Takeda.

Mmm. So he had that on his mind, did he? Not that it was a rare occurrence or anything.

I'm at one of Hiro's yoga classes. You should come. Get limber. It's right around the corner from Takeda's office...

He scrunched his nose at the thought of doing yoga but he had seen Orihime many times stretched out on that mat at the apartment and bent in various ways. There was no reason for him to attend one of those sessions. He had no need to be limber enough that he would have to put his feet behind his head. Ulquiorra shrugged. He wouldn't mind watching her for an entire class.

\- Don't need to get limber. Besides, I've got to do my daily run and I need to stop at the loft and get some prints ready for my show in a couple weeks. I was just wondering if you were at home so I could, idk, grope you or something. Have fun sweating.

Orihime scoffed at his message.

\- Will do. You too. I'll be home in about an hour. When will you come home? Maybe this will tide you over ;)

She snapped a picture of her ass stretched out in the mirror behind her and sent it along with the text.

His eyes widened at the photo she'd sent him. Immediately he could feel heat in his hips and thighs. Ulquiorra had only been away from her for several hours and already he wanted to be right next to her again. He sighed and shook his head. Once he got to his loft he decided to send her a picture of himself. Thankfully the bathroom in the place had a big mirror. Ulquiorra stripped down until he was naked and turned his back to the mirror. He lifted the phone and made sure he had a nice view for her.

He sent the photo along with a message.

\- Since you seem to like it so much.

Orihime laughed out loud when she got the text and almost dropped her phone.

\- You, sir, are lucky I'm in the back of the class. Hiro is a popular instructor; lots of guys almost got an eyeful of those glorious cheeks.

Ulquiorra had redressed and was putting on his socks when the text came in. Oh right. Hiro Yamada was gay and probably taught a lot of men.

\- My ass is for your eyes only, Woman. Just as your ass is only for me.

She knew it. She sighed happily as she stood up; yoga was over. She got ready and went home, deciding to work on a new sketch she had been thinking about, when she got a call from her agent telling her to check her email.

She did as directed and saw the bridal picture proofs. They kind of blew her mind. She sat there in awe, mindlessly munching on some dry cereal and clicking through the photos repeatedly until the door opened.

Ulquiorra was happy to be out of the cold. He was happy to be home. He just wanted to get warm and maybe see if Orihime was done with work. He didn't have to look far. "Oh, you're home," he said, stopping his walk from the door to their bedroom. "How was your day?"

She swallowed the dry cereal and looked at him, still somewhat dazed, and answered, "Yeah, it was good, look at what I got." She handed him her tablet and watched his face in anticipation.

Green eyes went wide at the pictures. Holy hell. Orihime looked like a goddess in these dresses. "These are… Stunning, Orihime," he murmured, zooming in on one particular photograph.

His reaction earned him a crooked smile and a mumbled thank you. She honestly could not believe it was her in those pictures. It looked like a dream or a fairy tale. There was even one picture that exposed her Murcielago heart tattoo, which had not been airbrushed out yet. She wanted to frame it, but she would never actually do that; it seemed too vain.

"Woman, you-" Ulquiorra was for a loss of words. His wife looked absolutely exquisite. Now he wished he had given her a ceremony with a dress and all of this. He would have Yamada start planning details about their honeymoon or anniversary trip. "Which one do you like the best?"

Orihime took a deep breath, shaking her head slowly. "It's really hard to decide. They're all so beautiful. I really like the picture that shows my tattoo though, it seems personal."

Using her tablet, he sent the pictures to himself. He'd get them all printed out for his loft and then he'd have inspiration without the distraction of her body. A stroke of creativity hit him like a lightning bolt striking the ground. How many weeks did he have before her show? Could be do it? He was quickly adding the days up and supposed he could do it. Most of the paintings for her show were done. Her graduation gift was done. Painting Orihime was nothing new to him, but painting her in wedding dresses… It would be a gamble. "That doesn't tell me which dress you like though," he finally said after he was done mulling over his thoughts.

"Hmm… the one with the open back and the medium train, I think." She did not sound sure. But the one she referred to was both romantic and edgy, and showed a lot of skin without looking sleazy.

Hmmm. Ulquiorra tilted his head to the side and looked at that one. It was rather perfect for her body, molded to every curve, but modest. The gown had a modern charm to it. He was sure that with some money he could have the designer make something like that for Orihime but shorter. She said she wanted a sundress. He looked up at the ceiling for a moment as if he were thinking about something. Right, Yamada could take care of it. "You look beautiful in all of them. I just came home to check in real quick. I'm about to head to the loft. Shouldn't you be working on your show?"

"Yeah,: she sounded like someone who had just been woken up from a nap. "I got distracted. I meant to be planning the set. Nakamura has confirmed that we can use the same gallery that I met you in for the show. They are excited to have you back, at least. What was that guy's name? Armand… Something?"

"Helden?" Ulquiorra questioned. It seemed like forever ago since that show. The resulting weeks had seemed to fly by in a blur. "That's a lot of space to cover… How many weeks until the show?"

"Six and a half. Lots to do!" she said with a nervous expression.

That was plenty of time to tack on more paintings. He knew how many it took to fill that space so that it didn't look sparse. "What about the runway?"

"I'm thinking about having it go down the short end of the space and then loop around in a half clover leaf or T pattern at the end since the space isn't very long. The models will have to pose twice but I don't think it's a big deal. That way people can be seated on three sides. Then some of the clothes can be hung on dummies and displayed next to the art after the models change out of them. What do you think?"

He could see it. Ulquiorra nodded. "You know, after your show, maybe I can uh, take you into that private room and have my way with you?" He smirked at Orihime.

Orihime smiled at him and crooked a finger next to her face, beckoning him to lean down and kiss her where she sat. "You wanna role play our first meeting? See if we can change the ending?" She asked with a knowing voice.

Nodding, Ulquiorra kissed her gently one time before he pushed his tongue into her mouth. "I think I want to do a photoshoot with you before then too. A naked photoshoot in our loft."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "That can be arranged. I'll ask Hiro to schedule a naked photo shoot with C. Murcielago right away," she giggled, then stood and wrapped her arms around his waist, looking up into his unamused face. "I'll look forward to it."

"I have to wonder what would have happened had you given in to me that night," he said to her, as his arms went around her body. "I'm glad you didn't."

"Me too. I imagine you would have been satisfied and sent me on my way, and I would have left very confused and _ very _ sore," she laughed.

He wanted to tell her that she was wrong, but she was more than likely right. "When have I ever left you sore? I could never be satisfied by one time with you. I wouldn't have allowed it," Ulquiorra stated.

"Um, I was pretty sore after our first night together, if you'll recall. I'm sure rushing it in a green room where I would have been uncomfortable would have only made it worse. And come on, if I had slept with you that first meeting, you would have probably written me off as some kind of whore and lost interest,"

"Tch," he scoffed. Ulquiorra scowled slightly. "I would have not lost interest. I may have not ended my fuckboy ways, though. It's possible you would have never spoken to me again."

"Oh it would be a definite. Orihime is not a side bitch. Orihime does not abide side bitches," she said, leaning back in his arms and looking up at him behind hooded brows. It was a mild warning, even though she never expected him to need it. It was directed toward the Ulquiorra of the past.

He liked her little pout and his mouth quirked up on one side. "Woman, you've never been a side bitch. You're my main bitch. My work takes back seat to you. Even as an Espada, you took precedence over everything else."

"I better be your _ only _ bitch," she said, trailing her index finger down the side of his nose and booping the tip. She smiled after that, indicating that she knew with certainty that she was. "So, you're going back to work? It's late already. Are you going to sleep there?"

Sighing, Ulquiorra shrugged. He didn't want to go back to the loft but he knew he needed to paint. He wanted to get these ideas out. He could find a sketchbook and work on the details of the paintings. "I don't have to. I mean, if you don't mind me sketching stuff while sitting or laying beside you."

"I don't mind at all if you stay and do that," she smiled. "But if you need to work don't let me hold you back. I understand how it goes with inspiration. I might just sketch my set and listen to royalty-free EDM and have a beer, trying to get an idea of what will work for the show. So if you want to go, I'm not going to hold it against you."

Ulquiorra shook his head. "No, I was at the loft earlier and if I wanted to work, it should have been there. All I did today was send off the prints to be ready by my next show. I want to be here with you."

"Okay, great. Did you eat already? We don't have anything. We could order pizza or something. I'm still trying to put on some weight for you," she giggled at that. She thought he was so weird, wanting her to gain weight.

Letting her go, Ulquiorra stepped back so he could look at her. She was looking more and more like herself. He still felt guilty about the whole hospital thing. It was a misunderstanding and he overreacted. He should have never given her up the second time. He frowned. Why were all these memories resurfacing? Was it because of the photographs of her in those gowns? "I'll let you pick, Wife. I'm going to shower and change into something more comfortable."

Orihime watched him walk away and twisted her mouth to the side, unsure why his mood had shifted. She sighed and picked up her tablet again, pulling up a pizza place's website and putting in an order, then she started listening to some music samples for her show as she began to sketch.

He took a quick shower and put on a pair of sweats before flopping down beside the redhead. Ulquiorra had found a sketchbook and a pen in a box of his things. He crossed his legs under him with his phone on one leg and the pad of paper on the other. Bringing the wedding gown pictures up, Ulquiorra's eyes kept darting from the device to the idea he was putting down on paper. He'd never designed a piece of clothing before but he was taking inspiration from the person who had put together this gown.

The pizza arrived about half an hour later and Orihime expensed it to UCOM; they were both working so it was legitimate. She called to Ulquiorra and set the food on the table, putting the finishing touches on what she was working on.

Closing the sketchbook, Ulquiorra left it where he was sitting along with his phone and went to join Orihime. "What are you working on?" he asked.

"A floor plan for the show. I should have an event planner look it over after I'm done I think. I am wondering if Quin's boyfriend is a good DJ… This royalty free music really blows. It would be good exposure for him if he would do it too… What were you working on?"

"A couple more painting designs I could use for your show. I might make prints out of these, if you want."

She smiled and thought about it. "If you think it will be good for your image, go for it. Don't fall into the trap of doing everything for my sake and then regretting it later; not saying you are going that way but I feel like I need to put a disclaimer there. Personally I think it would be cool. How many pieces are you thinking you're going to have for my show? I want to plan placement with you, obviously, but I need to gauge how much space everything is going to take."

The first show he did in that space was twenty paintings. Even then it looked like the paintings were stretched too far apart, "Twenty five should do it but then again it could be too many. Right now I have an even twenty… Did you want The Woman and The Moon?"

There was a gleam in her eyes that would not be covered by any kind of faux casualness. "I… Yes. If it's okay. I feel like I'd be asking you to let me borrow your 2D wife or something. It's a little weird for me to ask."

His what? Ulquiorra hadn't talked to the painting for several months! His 3D wife was better than the painting; looked better too. He'd never tell her that though. "If you want to use it you can. It's your painting, Woman."

"Okay, yes please!" She said with a little squeak. Even though they were married, and even though she knew him as Ulquiorra Cifer and not C. Murcielago, once in awhile there were moments when his celebrity status crossed her mind and kind of dazzled her. This was one of those moments. This famous artist was going to lend her his most famous, most coveted piece, and he was offering it to her like it was no big deal.

He sure had a way of making her feel spoiled sometimes. Not that she was complaining.

Ulquiorra smiled at her. "It will be there the night of your show. I have it hanging over the bed at the loft right now."

Orihime was pleased. "Now I'm starting to get excited. I've had pieces in shows for the college before but this is my first solo show. I really want to be great," she mused, half in the present and half in her imagination.

"It will be great, Hime. You're going to do wonderfully. My wife will be successful," Ulquiorra stated.

* * *

"I'm going to a club in Shinjuku 2chome with Quin to listen to Sebastiano on Saturday. Do you want to come?" Orihime asked while Ulquiorra was in the shower.

He poked his head out of the shower while his hair was shaped into a mohawk and scowled at her. "What? No, I don't want to go, but I can. I really need to work on some more stuff," Ulquiorra replied before ducking back under the spray.

"Then don't worry about it. Quin and I can go and you can work. I know you hate going out," she said, grinning at his hair. "Don't worry, Quin will have nobody to make out with so we can keep an eye out on each other. I'm going for work too, so it's not like…" She didn't know what she was trying to say. This was the first time since they'd been married that she was talking about going out to a place like this when it wasn't an official, paid appearance. Her first instinct was to try to justify her motivation and assure him that her virtue would be protected, but now that she thought about it, she realized she could take care of herself and he really ought to trust her to do so. She cleared her throat. "Anyway, I'll expense a cab and maybe I can meet you at the loft? It will be closer than coming here."

Ulquiorra poked his head out again, this time trying to get his black hair out of his face and eyes. He looked at his wife and sighed. "I'm sorry, it's just the show and everything," he said with water dripping into his eyes. He rubbed them. "If you want to come to the loft that's fine. I'll be there for a while."

"Okay, sounds like a plan," she said, kissing his wet nose and then turning to the mirror. "I've gotta get to the studio. Lots and lots to do. I'm starting to panic a little bit. I have model auditions today."

* * *

Selecting the models for her show was more difficult that she predicted. Even with Hiro's help it took all day, and by the time she was done she was wiped out. Ulquiorra had not harassed her. He responded to the two texts she had sent him after some delay each time. When she was done, she let Hiro walk her home and sit with her in the living room to review her master plan to check off things that were finished and reprioritize everything else she had to do. They sat on the floor in front of her laptop, shoulder to shoulder and squinting at the too-small screen. They kept at it until late, going through a half a pot of coffee and eventually kind of losing focus and nodding off. By the time Ulquiorra got home, Orihime was on the floor snoring and Hiro was sitting upright with his back against the sofa, his chin flush against his chest. The laptop had gone dark.

He had a deep frown on his face. Seeing the assistant next to his wife wasn't something he wanted to witness. Ulquiorra picked his wife up and carefully shuffled her to their bedroom. He left Yamada on the floor, throwing a blanket over the man. He'd grumble about everything tomorrow.

The painting session he had done was productive. He'd gotten some ideas sketched out onto some canvases. He dodged calls from Hirano. He talked to Takeda. He added the finishing touches to Orihime's graduation painting. He would present her with the other part of The Woman and The Moon after her show… Or maybe he would hang it in the gallery and wait for her to see it. He knew that she was setting up things in Helden's gallery.

Ulquiorra knew the space well. He had done several walkthroughs of it. He'd be walking through the gallery once again seeing where he wanted his art to hang. Of course, the final say of where the paintings would go would be up to Orihime. He knew she wanted everything to be perfect.

Orihime woke up as Ulquiorra got into bed. "What time is it?" she murmured sleepily.

"Go back to sleep, it's late," he replied, snuggling up to her. He yawned and buried his face into her neck. "What's Yamada doing here?"

"He's still here? Crap. Did we fall asleep?" she asked, not bothering to move from her comfortable position, but some alarm audible in her voice. "We were working on my laptop."

Humming, Ulquiorra nodded slightly. "He's on the floor. I threw a blanket over him. Maybe Quin will be nice and tell him to move if he comes in," he mumbled. "I take it you got the modeling thing done today?"

"Yeah. It was harder than I thought. Those girls are so pretty…Well most of them are. I don't want them to show me up."

"You're gorgeous, don't worry about it." He let his hand trail down her side and back up again. "Woman, you're the prettiest woman in the world to me."

"I meant the clothes, not me; I don't want the girls to be prettier than the clothes. I love you, Husband," she said with a yawn, wiggling her back closer to his front and closing her eyes again. "Tomorrow is going to be another day like this one, isn't it?"

He listened to her breathe for several moments before responding. "Probably, I like to take my time when I paint you."

"You're painting me?"

"Versions of you."

"Now I'm excited. When can I see them? Saturday at the loft?"

"Go to sleep, Woman. Maybe if you get done early enough you can see them tomorrow, but the paintings are you as goddesses in different dresses."

She was too tired to really register what he was saying, but was coherent enough to nod and murmur some kind of interested noise.

The next morning when she woke up, Ulquiorra was already out of bed, and she could hear his voice and the voice of other men coming from outside the bedroom. She stood and yawned, furrowing her brows in irritation at the early morning negativity. Realizing she was still dressed from the day before, she opened the door and came out to check to see what was happening.

Ulquiorra pinched the bridge of his nose then sighed. He'd walked into the living room to see Quin and Hiro curled up on couch. He meant to just start bitching at the assistant but seeing the two men like that, and knowing that Ishida had a boyfriend, was something that made him harden his jaw. "Yamada, wake the fuck up," he barked.

"Ulq, shut up."

"You shut up, Quin."

Dark blue eyes popped open and stared straight at him. Ulquiorra was surprised that the Quincy could see without the glasses. "Nothing happened. You left the guy on the floor. I woke him up and asked him if he wanted to watch a movie. We fell asleep."

"Yamada! Wake up!" Ulquiorra reached out with a hand to jostle the sleeping beauty but was stopped by Quin grabbing his arm. "You know the last time you grabbed someone's arm around me, you got stabbed."

"I'd like to see you try," Uryu said but let go of the artist. He reached toward the coffee table and grabbed his glasses, balancing them on his nose.

Ulquiorra scoffed. "Bite me," he retorted.

"You'd want me to, wouldn't you? Grow up! It's not like I was trying to fuck him in the kitchen," Quin yapped, referring to catching the newlyweds nearly undressed earlier that week.

The green-eyed man sighed dramatically. "How was I supposed to know you were home? You're never home anymore!"

"I'm always here if I'm not at school or with-with-What's his face… Sebastiano!" Uryu said and stood. "You work Hiro too hard. He's constantly running back and forth between you and Orihime, so give him a break."

Hiro? The quincy was calling the man by his first name? Ulquiorra scowled. "He gets paid."

Quin wasn't having that. "He needs a day off! Can you imagine being scared of your boss? That any slip up that may happen-"

"Um, I wasn't scared of Aizen; Takeda, maybe; Orihime, definitely." He scowled at his employee's sleeping face. "Whatever, he needs to get up and off the couch. Yamada!"

This time Hiro's eyes opened and they were wide with fright. "Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Fuck," the assistant said, obviously panicking. "Ishida, you said you would wake me up!"

"What is going on out here?" Orihime demanded, walking into the living room and seeing the three men in varying degrees of distress. "Why all the shouting? Why are you two under a blanket- _ Quin!" _Orihime whined. "Did you break up with Sebastiano? Now? This is really bad timing." She was starting to panic already. She had counted on this thing with the DJ working out for her show, but if he and her roommate and broken up that would put a damper on things.

"I caught them out here snuggling," Ulquiorra said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Your husband left your poor employee on the floor! What if Yamada-"

"It was Hiro earlier..."

"Shut up, Ulquiorra!" Quin snapped. "He could have gotten sick! It's cold on the floor."

"He should have gone home-"

"Would you shut the hell up, Murcielago? So what if I fell asleep?" Hiro said, appearing to scowl at the artist.

It got deathly quiet in the room. Ulquiorra turned his head and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I said shut up. I was helping Orihime last night. We got a lot done but she's nowhere near ready for her show. It's your problem if she doesn't get it done," the assistant replied. "If the show doesn't come together then she can't get the grade she needs to graduate. You take up a lot of her time by distracting her, which is making her scramble around."

Ulquiorra opened his mouth and closed it several times. He was shocked by the man's outburst.

"That's not your concern, Yamada," Orihime said sternly, causing all three heads to snap toward her. She had never called Hiro by his surname. "While it may be true that I am not on schedule, that is not Mr. Murcielago's fault nor is it his problem. I will get this show done and it _ will _ succeed. While I appreciate your concern, it is not your place to get between me and my husband," she said, stalking toward the table and snatching her laptop off of it. "Now I heard what was said out here and Quin's right, you need a day off. Take today and tomorrow. Go, Hiro," she said, pointing to the door and softening her voice at the end.

"Quin, I need to talk to you after I wake up more," she said, going to the restroom.

Ulquiorra looked at Yamada and frowned. "Go home, Hiro, I'll tell her you apologized," he said.

"You're not going to fire me?"

"No, Orihime would kill me. Besides nothing happened, right?. No harm, no foul," Ulquiorra replied. "But until this show is over, you two need to keep your hands to yourselves." This time he leveled a look at Quin.

Uryu scoffed. "Fine. Whatever. Nothing happened. Hiro and I are friends. What, you get to dictate who I can be acquainted with?"

"Whatever Quin. I'm going to make some coffee," Ulquiorra snapped.

Orihime came out in time to see Hiro walking out the door and called, "See you on Friday, Hiro."

The woman then turned to Quin and waited until the door closed. "Did you break up with that Italian guy or not?"

"No, as I told your husband, I came home after spending time with Sebastiano and saw that poor guy on the floor. I know who Hiro is; I've seen him around," Uryu sniffed. "I woke him up and told him to get on the couch. I was drunk. I was chatty. I offered to watch a movie with him."

"I don't care if you like my assistant, Quin. That's not the issue. I just need to know if I it's worth my while listening to Sebastiano this weekend. If you are just going to break up with him, it's likely he's not going to do my show, and as Hiro pointed out, I don't have a lot of time to waste."

The Quincy was slightly offended. "No, I'm not breaking up with Sebastiano. I passed out, your assistant fell back asleep, nothing more happened," Uryu said. "He's cute but he's not that cute."

Orihime gasped. "How _ dare _ you? Hiro is adorable!" She paused a long moment as Quin looked at her in shock and then her face cracked into a smile.

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, he's hot but he doesn't have the fine ass of an Italian boytoy or your husband," he said, referring to an incident earlier that week when he walked in on Orihime and Ulquiorra getting frisky in the kitchen after Ulquiorra's shower. He had gotten an eyeful of the artist's ass then. "That's just a compliment. By the way, keep it in the bathroom or your bedroom. You don't see me parading naked around here. I could always bring Sebastiano over and do that."

Orihime sighed heavily. "Fine. Anyway, this is not how I planned on starting today. Shit. I need Hiro. Shit." She wiped her hands on the legs of her jeans and looked around, twisting her mouth and trying to figure out what she was going to do. "Love? Dear? Apple of my eye, could you do me a favor?" she asked, turning her gaze to Ulquiorra.

He was standing and watching the two interact. He was glad he had no friends that pulled stupid shit like this. "Yes, Orihime? What can I do?"

"Can I send you my mock ups for the gallery set-up today for you to look at? If we can get the basic set up figured out that would be wonderful. Also, I need you later at my studio, either today or tomorrow, for a fitting. I finally have the pieces I need you to model mostly done."

"Consider it done, Woman. Anything else you need me to do?" Obviously now that Yamada had pointed out that Orihime was behind, Ulquiorra would be at her beck and call.

"Thank you," she said, exhaling in relief. "How is your show coming, Quin? I'm sorry I act like I'm so put out, and I know you've been working ahead on this since sophomore year, but it's not like you've got an assistant… Do you?"

Uryu shook his head. "I'm on track, mostly. The reasons I've not been coming home is because I've been staying overnight in my studio to get things done and now that everything is almost completed, I've been spending more time here and with Sebastiano. Not all of us have celebrity husbands." He said this with a smile.

"Not yet, anyway," Orihime winked at Quin. "Anyway let me know if you need anything. _ If _ I can help I'm at your service. In the meantime, sorry about the PDA. We only have a couple more months of living together though and we are crazy busy. We should try to have a little fun together as roommates before it's time to move out of here. Or are you thinking of keeping this place, Quin?"

A slight frown graced Uyru's face. As much as he knew Orihime needed a place of her own with her husband, the thought of letting her go made him sad. With them gone, he could get another roommate or even invite Sebastiano to move in. The DJ boyfriend lived in a shoebox of an apartment. "I haven't decided yet," he answered, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

Orihime sensed Quin's feelings, and sending her husband a cautionary glance, approached the archer and gave him a hug. "Just because we're going to be living in separate spaces doesn't mean were are going to grow apart. We're family, Quin. You have to believe in that, right?"

The Quincy looked between Orihime and Ulquiorra. He didn't say anything for a minute. Finally he sighed, then nodded. "I know. I'm just dreading the day you move out and I have to find someone else to share the costs with. I mean, I could move to a different place but…" he trailed off, frowning.

"You could always have Hiro move in here if you're not into him that way," Orihime thought out loud. "He lives in a box too."

Ulquiorra laughed. "Why, so they can end up fucking on the couch?" He took a sip from his cup of coffee to hide his face.

Orihime shrugged.

Uryu gave Ulquiorra a dirty look. "As if," he spluttered. "I'd take him into my room."

Orihime did a double-take. "Okay…" she let the word drag out as she went to the kitchen to fix herself a cup of coffee. "Enough talk about each others' sex lives for now, don't you think? We have things to do today."

Ulquiorra almost inhaled the coffee in his mouth. He quickly swallowed it and then gave a stern look at the Quincy. "No fucking on the furniture while we're here," he scolded Ishida.

He rolled his eyes and then tilted his head at Ulquiorra. "Yes, Dad. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go sleep for a couple more hours."

Orihime came back to the living room, eyeing her husband over the rim of her cup and smiling as Uryu left the room. After she took her sip she lowered the cup and held it up to Ulquiorra as if raising a toast. "Well done, Mr. Cifer, you have managed to subdue the Quincy," she smirked and took another sip of coffee.

"Eh, it's too bad I've not subdued the witchy woman yet," he said, grabbing her ass as he walked by her. He looked over his shoulder and gave her a smirk.

"Never," she challenged dramatically, following him back into the kitchen, setting her coffee down and hopping up onto the counter. "Seriously though, about today, do you want me to come by the loft so we can go over these floorplans or what? I know you're busy too."

"Since Yamada did point out that I have been a distraction, I've emailed Takeda and told her to clear my schedule. I was supposed to talk to her about something and other than picking up the prints that were sent to the printer later tonight, I have nothing to do but be your gofer since we work our poor assistant to the bone," Ulquiorra said in a rather theatrical way.

"Yeah, to Quin's bone," Orihime said quietly, then giggled immaturely into her coffee cup.

Ulquiorra was glad his cup was sitting on the counter. Being around his wife and the Quincy early in the morning was bad for breathing. If one wasn't trying to kill him the other one was, he thought with a smirk. "I'll come to your studio for the fitting and then we can get some lunch and then maybe go to the loft. Or I can go to the loft and set out all the paintings, then meet you for lunch? Then do the fitting and we can go back there for the floorplans and hot sex."

"I like the way you think, Cifer. We'll go with your second proposal. I'll go to my studio and pick up the clothes and bring them over with lunch. How does that sound?" she asked, then drained her coffee cup and set it in the sink next to her and hopped off the counter.

The green-eyed man smirked and nodded. "I like the way you think, Cifer. Remember, no panties."

"Oh, ho ho, indeed. House rules?" she asked. She hadn't been to the loft since she helped him move some of his stuff over there so she felt like it was his domain, not theirs.

"If it were house rules, I'd tell you to strip as soon as you came into the place," he replied.

"Hmm, well, I was never really one for following orders, was I, _ Ulquiorra-sama _?" she asked, sneaking past him and making her way back to their room to get her stuff to get ready for the day.

His nostrils flared at that and he wanted to chase after Orihime, but he kept himself in check. After he calmed himself down, he followed her into the room and stripped his clothes off his body, walking around naked, gathering what he needed for the day.

She saw his nude form roaming the room and asked, "Um, do you want to join me in the shower?"

"Nah, I plan on getting you really dirty when you get to the loft," Ulquiorra said sitting on his side of the bed. "I can show some restraint. Waiting for you will be a much sweeter reward."


	52. Chapter 52

**WARNING: MATURE CONTENT**

**Chapter 52: Working Out the Kinks**

Orihime came up the elevator lugging a couple garment bags, a huge purse and and her tote bag. She had taken a cab over to the loft; she expensed it to UCOM and honestly, there was no way she was going to make it with all that stuff in the cold, wet January weather. Snow was starting to flurry around gently although it did not stick to the ground.

She reached the door and knocked. She had a key somewhere but she probably had left it in a drawer in their apartment in Shibuya.

Ulquiorra had just gotten done setting up the paintings when the knock came. He looked over at the door then looked at all the paintings scattered around the space. It would have to do. This loft was not as big as the last one. He walked over to the door and opened it to see Orihime. He saw her arms were full of things. "Well that explains it," he said, stepping out of the way so that she could come inside. "Did you have a nice and productive morning?"

"I did. I love having Hiro at my beck and call, but not having him there or available kept me a bit more focused and serious," she was obviously straining under the awkward weight of her things. She scooted past Ulquiorra and, not seeing anywhere to really put anything down, just knelt on the floor and started laying things out there. "How about you? It looks like you've been busy," she said, scanning the room.

"A bit," he said. He had spent most of the morning manipulating images and taking photographs of the paintings he had already completed. "I need to get more furniture, don't I?" Ulquiorra asked. It was obvious that they couldn't live in a place like this and needed something bigger, but it was perfect for him to work in and to get away from everything.

"Maybe just a table or some chairs or something; not much This place looks a lot smaller now that you have all your work in it," she said with a little grin. "Anyway, can you plug in my laptop while I pull out your outfits?"

Ulquiorra took her laptop to his desk and plugged it in. He opened it then walked back over to her. "Did you need help with it or are you okay? And I think you're right. It seems really small with all these paintings out. I should have had Yamada look at one of those converted warehouse apartments or something."

"Well, you don't usually have this many sitting around, do you? You usually sell out after every show," she said, standing and holding up a long white jacket of sorts.

His eyebrows raised at the sight of the white jacket. "Yes, I'm usually left with no paintings after a show. The only reason I have paintings sitting in storage is because you came up with that brilliant idea of doing digital images to save my ass."

She smiled at him. "Never was there a more worthy ass to save," she said, then dug into the next garment bag for some more clothes. It was mostly street clothes. There was one formal outfit. All in there were four outfits for him to wear. "Would you mind trying things on first, or do you want to work on the floor plan?"

"Whichever is easier for you, Wife. Did you bring lunch or did you want me to order something?" Ulquiorra asked as he looked at the outfits she was laying out.

"I brought something, as promised," she said, swinging large the crossbody purse she had hanging off of her back to the front and pulling out a bag. "Sorry it's just sandwiches, but I didn't remember if you had a microwave in here."

He shook his head. "Not yet," Ulquiorra answered. He took the bag and dug into it for one of the sandwiches. He didn't waste time before he tore away the wrappings and bit into it. Chewing slowly, he looked at his redheaded wife. "Most of the electrical stuff was fried when I went back to get the rest of my things. Makes me wonder what the hell those two did to cover up the attack."

Orihime gulped down the bite of sandwich she was currently working on. "You mean they didn't tell you? They made it look like the place was hit by lightning! They left burn marks all over Titus' place and fried the circuits in both places and blew out all the windows… They had too much fun I think. Kurosaki is a bad influence on Quin sometimes."

He sighed and shook his head. "It's a wonder they're both still alive after their antics in Hueco Mundo. Idiots, the both of them. Do you want me to try on any outfit?" Ulquiorra asked, wiping his hands on a napkin. He had already eaten most of his sandwich.

"Go ahead and finish, I have to set them all up then we can work out one at a time… They are a little complicated," she said with an apologetic edge to her voice. She got to work setting them up by hanging them on hangers carefully balanced on the lip of the molding around the entryway to the kitchen area.

Ulquiorra looked in the bag for another sandwich and proceeded to unwrap it. The only thing he had this morning was a can of coffee that was in the tiny refrigerator, so he was hungry. "Woman," he said, looking at the outfit with the see through jacket? Shirt? He wasn't sure what it was, exactly.

"Yeah?"

"Is that shirt see through? Is it a jacket? What is it? And what is that?" Ulquiorra pointed at a shirt with no sleeves and rather low-cut.

Orihime laughed. "These looks aren't meant to be worn normally; they are more like the extreme end of what I would potentially sell in a store. Although this white one is pretty tame. I think you could wear it off the rack. Anyway, Yes. This is a silk suit," she said, gesturing the the black silk jacket and loose, boxy trousers with a silk belt that was about as wide as a necktie and quite long. "The ends of this belt are meant to hang loose down one side of your hip. This sleeveless tank goes underneath."

She turned to another outfit which was another pair of black trousers shaped like the first, but not as shiny, and a mesh shirt with long sleeves and black leather vest. "This is more of a street look," she said, and then pointed to a white tank with the words, "What is the heart?" written across the front in a pretty script. "The other look is those same trousers with this white shirt."

She walked ahead to the white outfit which was a more traditional, formal soft grayish white suit with a matching wide-wale ribbed fitted hoodie to be worn underneath.

There was one more garment bag which she kept zipped up. She returned to her sandwich and asked, "Well? What do you think so far?"

"They remind me," he said, with a far away look in his eyes. All the black and white and gray made him think back to Hueco Mundo with it's dark sky and white ground; of crystalized tree branches and hollows that roamed the dunes; of Las Noches and the high spires. The moon and this woman.

"They remind you of?" she prodded with a look of anticipation on her face.

His eyes snapped to her face and he stared at her. "Of my former life," he stated quietly.

She smiled at him gently. "You were my inspiration for this collection. You and the beginning of our story. Until I realized how much I love you, I was floundering with my designs. I didn't have a clear aesthetic or vision. After you left that time, I was flooded with feelings and memories and an overwhelming drive to bring my memories of that life to this one. When you came back to me, the darkest versions of those memories faded to the background, and what we are left with are these, much less angsty versions of my original sketches," she explained.

"Orihime… I-" Ulquiorra's words caught in his throat. He felt the need to apologize to her profusely. Shaking his head, the artist put down his food on his desk and walked over to where his wife was standing. "I'm sorry, my lover. I'm so sorry that I did that to you."

Orihime wanted to say it was alright, that it was all forgiven and forgotten, and honestly, it was. He was forgiven. However, just his apology made her heart ache and made her chest tight. The memory of that time still caused her a great deal of pain. It _was_ over though. It had been made right. She pulled him to her, pulling his face into her neck and holding him around his back. "You must know that I have forgiven you, right?" she whispered after a few moments.

Nodding, Ulquiorra stayed there in her embrace. It felt like his heart was being crushed, though. His eyes were burning; he was trying to refrain from crying. He knew she had forgiven him, but he didn't know why she had done so, to be honest. He hadn't deserved it at all. He deserved to be in the deepest pit of hell for leaving her both times they had split up. "I apologize. I'll keep apologizing until my last breath."

She brought her right hand to his head and ran it over his hair. She kissed the side of his face and spoke softly into his ear, "I don't want you to feel sorry. Not anymore. The joy you have given me far outweighs the heartache, and I expect that to be the pattern going forward." She smiled then, pulling back so he could see that she meant what she was saying. "You have made me the happiest woman in the world. I hope you can see that. Don't focus on past setbacks. The past is only a shadow, remember?"

He looked at her with reddened eyes and sighed. "Orihime," he said, but it almost sounded like Ulquiorra was pleading with her. "I wish I could erase all of that. I wish I could make you the happiest person in the world and I don't know how to do that," he said. "It seems like almost every day we bicker about something."

She shook her head and ruffled his hair then. "You are too sweet, you know that? Of course we bicker. We are two different people with two different brains with different ideas and different moods. We trust each other and love each other enough to express our differences. I feel safe enough in your love that I don't have to hide my thoughts from you. I am the happiest person in the world because I've found someone I can walk through life beside and not be afraid to be myself with."

"You were never afraid," Ulquiorra stated. He sighed and untangled himself from her. Turning away from his wife, he said, "Even when I threatened to tie you down and shove food down your throat, you weren't afraid. Even when I threatened to crack your skull open or tear open your ribcage, you were not afraid. When I was dying and you saw what a monster I was, you weren't scared of me. Now I can do things and you're not afraid of me. Don't take that the wrong way, I don't want you to be afraid of me now, but back then-" He stopped talking, wondering where he was going with this train of thought.

"Back then, I knew you were looking for truth. You were only trying to understand what I was incapable of explaining to you."

He sniffled, still trying to hold back his emotions. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get caught up in myself. I am shocked though. I didn't know I affected you that much."

She looked at him with disbelief on her face. "Of course you do. I didn't marry you because I wanted to soothe your worries about Kurosaki or any other imagined rivals. I married you because I love you deeply and profoundly and I cannot imagine my life without you. You are my heart, Ulquiorra. You mean everything to me."

Ulquiorra turned his head and looked at Orihime. He gave her a half-hearted smile. "Here I thought you married me because you didn't want to give up the sex," he teased. He was doing this because he couldn't handle what he was feeling at the moment. He hiccuped after laughing for several seconds. "I will never leave you again."

Orihime watched him laugh with a soft expression, and when he stopped she nodded. "I will never leave you either."

He nodded and wiped his face. "I'm going to get cleaned up. I'll be back in a moment," Ulquiorra said and slipped into the bathroom, where he splashed cold water on his face and washed his hands. He returned to the redhead minutes later. "So, which outfit do you want me to try on first?"

She kissed his lips first, briefly, then answered, "The white suit and hoodie. _No undies," _she ordered with a small giggle.

"How bold of you to assume I wore underwear today," he commented, hands automatically going to the button and zipper of his jeans. Ulquiorra quickly undid them but before he took them off, he removed his t-shirt and threw it onto his computer chair. He slowly stripped off his jeans right in front of Orihime, showing her that he indeed had nothing on underneath the denim. "I follow my own rules."

"I see," she said with an appreciative glance. "Ok, pants first, the hoodie, then… You know what? You're a big boy I think you know how to dress yourself. Have at it," she said, turning to her kit for her tailoring supplies.

He scowled at her back and then did what she said, slipping his legs into the pants he finished by pulling the hoodie over his head. "Holy shit, this is warm," he said, giving a hum of appreciation.

"I know, that's why I had you try it on first, that way you're not overheated by the time you got to it," she said, bringing the jacket over to him to put on. After he did, she stood back and looked at him with her chin in her hand, head cocked to the side, humming occasionally, deep in thought.

"With two of those outfits, my nipples will be hanging out," he quipped. Ulquiorra mimicked her stance. "I think warming back up might be on the agenda. When you're done with this hoodie, I want it."

She grinned. "Good, because it's yours. I made these for you… Well not all of them are for public use; you get the picture," she said, approaching him with a tape measure and running it from the floor all the way up to the side of his balls. "The waist is perfect. It's as if I have your body memorized," she said, looking up at him with a cheeky smile.

Just seeing her face by his hips was enough for him to want to take her into the loft, but with their heartfelt confessions, he wanted to make love to her and not just fuck. Ulquiorra sighed and cupped her face with one of his hands. "As much time as you spend looking at it, I'm not surprised."

She nodded, more focused on the task at hand, putting some stick pins at the hems of the trousers, then standing and looking at the jacket. She tugged here and there on it, had him button and unbutton it, then button it again. "The sleeves are nearly perfect, but I think I can let them out another half centimeter…" she took a note in a memopad and came back to him, pinching the back of the jacket. "Is it too tight if I do this?"

He shook his head. "No, how did you manage to get everything perfect?"

"It's not perfect. It's close, a lot closer than I get with the other models, but I have to make some adjustments." She said, putting a marking stitch in back and then pulling the jacket off. "The hoodie looks good though!"

"You want me to take it off, don't you?"

"Yep. You can set it down over there and then step out of the pants _carefully._ There are pins in there that will poke you if you don't watch out."

He removed the hoodie and hung it on the hanger and then got out of the pants. He handed those to Orihime. "Next outfit woman?"

"Yep. Although you looked quite dashing in that one, I'm afraid you'll get too warm if you stay in that for long. We'll do the black suit next." She passed him a transparent black tank top to put on first.

Slipping the laughable piece of clothing on over his head, Ulquiorra felt kind of foolish and wished he had worn underwear now. "Is there anymore to the this outfit?"

"Of course there is, don't be ridiculous," she laughed, passing him the silk pants to put on and holding the matching jacket.

Ulquiorra had trouble with the pants, his foot wanted to catch on the material. He carefully got one leg and then the other one into the trousers, pulling them up his legs and thighs before buttoning them. He turned around and looked at his ass.

"Yes, that is nice," Orihime agreed with what she assumed he was thinking, before coming over to him and running her hand over his ass. "Silky smooth. This fits great. I need to take the legs up a bit but again, home run on the waist. Is the crotch comfortable?"

"It is a bit snug across my ass and," he paused a moment to assess what she was asking. "It's okay. Not something I would wear normally. Didn't Pauletto show enough of my dick with those pictures?"

Orihime licked her lips and looked at him with an unimpressed expression. "I want to see your dick in _my_ clothes, thank you very much. And see it I shall," she said, backing up, then smiling. She chuckled. "I guess I was overeager to see it. You're right, it's too tight. Way too tight. I'll have to remake these. Maybe I can give them to Quin. He has kind of a flat ass, don't you think?"

A confused look came over his face. "I've never really paid attention to his ass but probably? Maybe?" Ulquiorra took a moment to think about what Quin looked like. "He's pretty flat."

Orihime really laughed then. "Thank you for your kind consideration, sir. Now if I can trouble you to try on the jacket?" she said, bringing the black silk suit jacket to him. It was ultra light and very soft and fell over her arm like water.

He took the jacket and slipped it on. It was like feeling Orihime's tits against his skin but it was an all over sensation. "Okay, now what?"

"Okay, I wanna roll up the sleeves to almost your elbow… Good. Now let me see," she said, taking a step back. "Your hollow tattoo really works with this look, hold on," she said, taking her phone out and snapping a picture. "The shoulders are okay? It should feel a little loose, it's a relaxed fit."

"It's fine. I'm afraid to walk in these because of the butt. I mean they're fine if I'm standing," he replied.

"Have a look," she said, passing him her phone and then undoing the pants for him, gently working them off of his hips and letting them fall off of his thighs. She lingered in front of him for a moment as he looked at the picture on her phone, smiling but not touching. Then she rose back to her feet and grabbed the other pair of black trousers, this pair more loose and made of fine cotton.

He sighed and looked at her with a somewhat disturbed expression. "Does my dick really look like that? It's obscene. My ass… I'm not wearing those."

"Oh come on. I told you I'd remake them. This picture is just for my personal collection," she said and smiled at him. "You know, you call it obscene, I call it a trophy." she shoved the other pair of pants at him. "Take these and then take off the jacket and the shirt. We're almost done."

Ulquiorra put on the pants she handed him and then took off the other items. These trousers were completely comfortable. "Now the sleeveless nipple showing shirt?"

"Hey, no one will see your nips unless they're hard," she said, passing him the white tank with the writing on it.

"If I have to wear one of these, I want to see you in one," Ulquiorra stated before slipping the shirt over his head.

"Fair enough. Which one?" She said, bringing the belt around his waist and tying it just so. It was much like a karate gi belt but left to hang loose. She stepped back and looked at the ensemble.

"I want to see you in this exact shirt when it's all said and done," the artist said, giving her an amused look. "We will see exactly how much your nipples show because I know how to get them hard."

She rolled her eyes but giggled. He was right. "Ok, this one is like, perfect," she said, not addressing what he had been talking about but going back to the clothing. "You can take the white top off but keep the pants on, this last outfit uses the same pants."

Ulquiorra took the shirt off and handed it to her. "What's the next one?"

She passed him a mostly transparent, webbed knit sweater tunic with long chapel sleeves and the black leather vest. "Here you go," she said, taking the precious garments from him and hanging them back up.

He put on the last items and looked down at himself. "Did I do this right?" Ulquiorra asked. He had the vest on over the sweater and it felt awkward.

"Yep, that's right, let me style it for you," she said, tucking here, untucking there, adjusting the belt and then standing back. "Yep, this one is ok as-is," she was pleased. "I don't expect you to ever wear this out though."

"The sweater is nice but it feels weird. I don't know. Fashion is not my thing, you know this," Ulquiorra said with a smile on his face. "Quin says I'm a criminal offense to his fashionable senses."

"Quin doesn't appreciate your raw masculinity which is enhanced by your lack of effort. He is jealous that he can't pull it off. Anyway, now that I have you naked again I have one last thing that I brought but I wasn't sure I was going to have you try. You up for a fun surprise?"

He raised an eyebrow and glanced at the redhead. "It's not a blowjob is it?" he asked in a teasing voice. He laughed at her face. "Yes, woman, what is this surprise?"

She opened the garment bag to reveal a near replica of his arrancar uniform. The trousers were slightly different. It was still the same waistband, high in the front and back and lower on the sides, tied with a sash, but the fabric of the legs were not as full. The jacket was nearly identical but it was made of lightweight fabric and had a visible black zipper in the front. It was slightly sportier, but with the tails on the jacket it had a formal edge to it. She grimaced slightly as she held it out to him. "I'm sorry if this is weird, but I really want to see you in it…."

Once again, his brain took him back to Hueco Mundo. He swallowed, taking the outfit from her. "Was this what you were designing weeks ago on the train to Nikko?" Ulquiorra asked, green eyes never leaving her face.

She blushed and nodded, "Yeah, I just… I don't know." She felt an overwhelming bashfulness, as if she were sixteen again.

"You want me to wear this in the show?"

"Maybe. I want to see how it looks on you now. I might have you wear it instead of that black suit."

He was nervous as he put on the outfit, starting with the pants. He put on the jacket but left it unzipped for now and put on the sash just like he did back when he was an Arrancar. He waited for Orihime to look at him and held his arms out so that she could get a look at him.

It was surreal. It took her breath away to see him, her husband, Ulquiorra Cifer, Cuatro Espada, standing before her, as alive and whole and pinkish as a human could be. He looked bigger and softer and more familiar but all the words that came to her mind to describe how he looked and how she felt about it failed her. It wasn't until she closed her eyes for a moment that she knew, she was looking at her first true love, and no matter how alive and human and different, it was still the same person. It was a profound revelation. Tears came to her eyes and she approached him, pulling his arms down to his sides and threading her own beneath them. "It looks good," she finally murmured.

"Does it look like the old me?" He asked. Ulquiorra tipped Orihime's chin up and kissed her gently. "All I am missing is Murcielago, you know."

"It does. Would you like to get it and see yourself?" she asked.

Seeing himself with the replica would just make the nostalgia worse and he didn't want to die to become some stupid Arrancar again. Aizen was gone. That thing he used on them was gone. He'd probably end up as a Gillian if he died again. He shook his head. "I'll take your word for it, Woman," Ulquiorra said. "I mean if you really want a photograph, I can go get it."

She thought about it. He didn't seem too keen on the idea, but she had gone through the trouble of having both the outfit and the sword made, and it seemed a waste not to do it. "If you don't mind?" she asked softly. "I don't want you to feel awkward but I'd like to see it." She admitted.

He gave a nod and then was gone but back again in an instant. In his hand was the sword inside of the sheath. Ulquiorra looked at her before he placed it through the sash. Finally, he zipped up the jacket. "The hair's all wrong," he mentioned.

"It's not a Halloween costume. It's you. As long as it's yours, it's right," she said, her mind kind of in a daze. Her heart was galloping in her chest as she observed him. It really looked like he had crossed the two worlds and merged them together.

Observing the woman, Ulquiorra tilted his head. "What's wrong?" he asked. "You look starstruck."

She smiled at that description. It was somewhat accurate. "When I first saw you in this life, you had long hair nearly down to your waist and you were wearing jeans and a hoodie. I knew it was you, though. The next time I met you was in that gallery, and you didn't look that different. Both of those times, though, I knew who you were. I always knew. But to see you like this… now I really _know._ You are my Espada. You are C. Murcielago. You are one in the same. It's kind of an overwhelming feeling," she explained.

Ulquiorra embraced her, feeling very much the same way. Seeing himself like this was overwhelming and somewhat frightening. Like he could go back to being the former version of himself with just a flip of a switch; cold and unaffected by anything surrounding him. The only person in the entire universe who made a mark on him was in his arms. "I love everything about you, Woman."

She held onto him and squeezed. Her breathing hitched and she nodded. "I love you. I love you more than I can tell you. The words don't exist, but please believe me."

"I love you more than life," he murmured. "Thank you, Orihime."

"Why?" She said, bringing her glassy eyes up to meet his gaze. "I should be the one thanking you."

"No, you made this outfit. You paid to have my sword replicated," Ulquiorra sighed. This was all material stuff. "Thank you for being here. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for marrying me. Thank you for everything. Now, I have a surprise for you."

Her eyebrows rose. She was not expecting this. "What is it?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.

Ulquiorra had hidden the four paintings behind the other ones. He extracted the first one which showed Orihime but she had red snakes for hair and was wearing a wedding dress of his own design, inspired by the other designer.

She couldn't believe her eyes. "Is this…? Is this me in a wedding dress, as Medusa?" she asked, approaching the painting and looking at it closely. After several minutes of studying the details, she turned around to face her husband with a face-splitting grin. "This is amazing!"

"I have others of you," he said, nodding. "There's, uh, Hera, Athena and some telephone goddess… Wait, uh, I don't remember the name right now." They just had a sweet moment together and he was ruining it because his damn human brain couldn't remember a damn name. "You'll get to see the others when I display them at the gallery opening in a couple of weeks."

Orihime turned to face him fully. "This is the most interesting, sweetest thing… I want to see the others!" she whined, then hopped the three steps toward him and threw herself into Ulquiorra's chest, leaning up on her toes to kiss him. "I am very much looking forward to this gallery opening," she said as she paused and then captured his lips again.

Ulquiorra smirked. "What will you give me if I let you see them?" He questioned, running his hands down her body.

She liked where this was going. "What is it worth you you?" she asked. "I think I can make it worth your while. I could give you my heart," she kissed him. "Oops, too late. I could give you my soul," she kissed him again and pulled back, bringing an index finger to her lips, "No, already gave you that, too…" Then she raised a finger in a eureka gesture. "I know, I could give you my body, what do you think?"

"You've already given me that," he stated. He kissed her neck and then made his way to her mouth, before pulling away. "I've enjoyed it many times over."

"That's true," she replied, acting disappointed. "What else do I have left to give you?"

Taking a deep breath, Ulquiorra knew what he was going to say would probably shock her. "Offspring," he said, gazing into her eyes.

Orihime's mouth fell open slightly. She knew she heard him right, but she just couldn't believe what he was saying to her. After several attempts at making noise, her voice returned to her just enough to eke out the question, "Come again?"

"I want you to give me an offspring; a child," Ulquiorra said. He could see it written all over her face that she was in denial or she didn't believe his words. "I'm serious, Wife. I think it would make me happier. I'm not talking about right now. You said you weren't sure, but now I am sure that I want this."

Orihime's eyes welled with tears and she swallowed hard. He was right, she wasn't sure about kids. She always thought she wanted them, but it always felt like a thing that was a long way off and something she didn't need to think about seriously. But if he meant what he said, and it surely felt like he meant it, she had some serious thinking to do. But she knew she could answer him honestly when she finally said in a whisper, "Then I will do everything in my power to give that to you."

His eyes scanned her face, and when he saw nothing but honesty, Ulquiorra smiled at Orihime. "Woman," he couldn't find the words he wanted to say to her. They wouldn't leave his throat. He held her tightly for a minute before letting her go and getting the next painting. Once again it showed Orihime in a wedding gown of his own design, but this time she was holding a pomegranate in her hand. "I think this is… Persephone," he told her. "She's the goddess of plants or something."

Sniffling still from the weight of the previous topic she forced her eyes to focus on the new painting he presented to her. It was lovely. Again a wide smile grew on her face as she examined it for a couple minutes, turned her face to Ulquiorra and beamed at him. "This is beautiful! What inspired this mythology idea?"

He shrugged. "I wanted to paint you in wedding dresses and I thought greek goddesses would be the perfect thing to convey what I wanted to show. Your beauty, grace, and poise."

She was melting into a puddle of mush on the inside, if she hadn't already. Ulquiorra Cifer, despite outward appearances, was the King of Romance. All she could do was smile at him idiotically and swoon.

Ulquiorra showed her the next painting which portrayed her as the goddess Athena with red hair swirling around her, carrying books and a spear. This was was the hardest one to paint for him because he wanted to get everything right. He knew Orihime was smart and she got some of the highest grades in her class. He knew she could put up a fight, also. "Well?"

This time her smile turned a bit more knowing. "This one is a bit feistier, isn't it? I think it captures the most admirable parts of me," she said, looking at him with slightly raised brows and an easy grin. "You said there's one more?"

The last painting was his favorite but the subject was quite gruesome. The last painting he reveal showed Orihime as Hera. In one hand she held a bloody heart and there were bloodstains on the wedding dress. This was the only painting where he'd painted a background, showing a starry night sky.

Orihime studied this painting. Her brows lowered and eyes narrowed. Yes, this one was gory, but it was clear to her that it was the one he had dedicated the most time to, and that he had infused the most of himself into. After a long time, several minutes of silence, she declared, "This one is my favorite."

Ulquiorra laughed. "It's my favorite too," he said, agreeing with her. He put them all back behind other paintings then looked at Orihime. "Can I take this off? I don't want to rumple it."

"Oh, of course," she said. She had forgotten that he had been wearing it. "It looks so normal on you that I kind of didn't realize you still had it on. But yeah, go get comfortable, please," she said, a bit flustered.

He gathered up his clothes and went into the bathroom. Ulquiorra looked at himself in the mirror for several long seconds, taking in his image. Reaching up with a hand, he grabbed the zipper and pulled it down, exposing just the hollow hole he had tattooed on his body. He shook his head. This was stupid. He was never going to be a hollow again. He had to accept that he was a human with powers. It only took him several more moments before he emerged from the bathroom and handed Orihime the pieces of white clothing. He climbed the stairs to put the sword back onto its stand.

She sensed his unease. "Are you alright?" she called up to him. She was beginning to regret showing him the remade arrancar uniform.

With Murcielago back on top of his dresser, Ulquiorra turned and went to the top of the stairs. He looked down at Orihime and nodded. "Memories can be a bitch sometimes," he replied. He took his time descending the steps with his hands shoved into his pockets of his jeans. "I hate Kurosaki for destroying me and ending my life as an Espada, but I'm glad that I'm human now."

She nodded, smiling, and met him halfway up the stairs, taking him by the arm and asking, "Do you want to take a break and finish working later?"

"I can take a break, but can you? I don't want to distract you any more than I have," Ulquiorra said.

"I can take a break. Come on," she said, leading him back upstairs. When they got to the top, she climbed onto the bed and waved him over to her. "Come on, I think you need some snuggles."

Snuggles? He knew what they were but how did she figure that he needed them? Sometimes he felt like he would never understand Orihime. Ulquiorra did as he was told and climbed onto the bed beside her. He laid his head on her thigh. This was comforting. It was soothing.

She smiled as she watched some of the tension in his face fade away. She rested on hand on his arm, and with the other she slowly brushed his hair with her fingers repetitively. His breathing quickly became deeper and slower and his eyes closed, though he did not sleep. After a few minutes, she asked, "So, when we do eventually have _an offspring_, I hope he or she has your nose," she said as she admired it.

"My nose? It's just a nose," he said. Turning his body so he faced her, Ulquiorra opened one eye to peer at her. "I hope they don't get my eyes. That would be awkward to explain."

Orihime giggled and agreed. "Yeah, it would be easier if they were conventional. But I would love it if they had your eye color. In fact, just a little army of mini Ulquiorras would be pretty adorable."

He raised his eyebrows at her and this time looked up at her with both eyes. "An army? At most we need one or two. I cannot imagine dealing with an army of offspring."

Orihime laughed at his reaction, truly amused. Finally after a minute she responded, "Yeah, one or two is _plenty._ That army thing was just a mental image I was enjoying. Reality would be terrifying," she laughed some more and traced a line from his hairline, down his nose, down the groove leading to his lips, finally catching on his lower lip. She pressed it a bit as she smiled down at him. "Scoot over," she said.

Ulquiorra shook his head and took her finger into his mouth, sucking on it gently. He released it a moment later. "What if I don't?"

"Then I'll have to improvise," she said, bending her knees, thereby elevating his head so she could kiss him. "There, that works," she said afterward.

A chuckle left him and he moved so that he was sitting beside her. Leaning over, Ulquiorra kissed her, letting his lips linger there before he laid back, stretching out. He reached with a pale hand and pulled Orihime down beside him.

She didn't struggle at all, letting one leg fall over his and laying her head on his chest, arm around his waist. She exhaled and closed her eyes, letting herself forget about all the things on her to-do list and everything to do with school and fashion, and just smelled the eucalyptus and cedar scent rising off of her husband's body and felt his warmth under her.

"So tell me your ideas for your show. Have you decided on how the runway will look?" he murmured into her hair.

She groaned softly, the peace being disrupted by thoughts of work. "You know how the gallery is at least twice as long as it is wide, with a door to that big storage area in the middle of the long side of the wall on the right as you come in?"

He smirked. Ulquiorra was only trying to keep her grounded and focused. "Yeah. The storage area is mostly empty, Helden keeps things like pedestals and other stuff in there. Are you thinking about using it?"

"Yeah. I thought to conserve floor space I could use the storage space as a staging area and have the runway come out of that door. It doesn't leave a lot of space for the runway because the width of the gallery isn't very long, so to combat that, I thought of making a T-shaped runway. I think I mentioned it before, but here is a sketch I did," she said, fishing her phone out of her pocket and pulling up a picture of a hand-sketched floor plan that she had done on lined notebook paper that had a rectangle representing the entirety of the gallery floor, then marked all the back rooms, and showed a wide T-shaped runway with marks for chairs around all sides. "So the runway will have a short walk from the door to the cross of the T. The models will have to pose three times. Once at the cross of the T and once on either end of the long walk."

He looked at the sketch and nodded. It seemed like a good plan. It gave him a bit to think about how he was going to arrange the paintings. Those were thoughts for another time though. Right now he just wanted to enjoy being alone with Orihime.

"So, anyway, I think that will be good. Enough about my show though, you have one coming up in a little under two weeks. Are you ready for it already?"

It was his turn to groan. "Yes and it's a mix of stuff. I have some of those paint splatter fuck ups, the digital prints, the goddess paintings and some others I did," Ulquiorra replied.

"Busy busy," she said. "I'm looking forward to it. This will be your first show since we've been married. I wonder how people will act."

A questioning look came over his face. "What do you mean? Why would they act any differently? I'll have people who say my art is depressing. I'll have people who will say I'm a freak. It's been the same since I started showing my art."

"You might be surprised, you might not. I am thinking about myself though, sorry to admit. I think people might suddenly find me more interesting. Hopefully they are just normal people though and not nutbags like Emi Takahashi. But I'm sure some people will want to ask me about you. I guess my RBF is not powerful enough to scare people away, especially since I can't stop smiling much these days," she said with a little snicker.

"If any one tries to engage you in any conversation, have them talk to me," Ulquiorra said. He knew he could scare off many people and he didn't want to have Orihime stress about things. "We don't have to stay long. I usually just see how the reaction is and then leave."

"Okay, so I'm to be seen and not heard? Alright," she teased, tickling his side. "I see how it is."

"No, it is not that, Woman. Going to gallery openings is stressful and those who have not seen me before stare at me or they ask nosy questions," he explained, giving her a concerned look. "If you want to deal with the idiots, that's fine. You are more than welcome to."

She stopped tickling him as he spoke and looked into his eyes. "I didn't realize they bothered you so much. You always seemed so cool and collected at those things. I mean, I realized that you didn't particularly enjoy the interaction, but I didn't know it caused you that kind of stress. I'm sorry for teasing you," she said, contrite. "Also, it's your public image. If you don't want me talking about you I won't. You have a persona to maintain."

He gave her a small smile. "You may talk about me, I mean, people probably know enough about me through those Takahashi articles," Ulquiorra said.

She rolled her eyes. Another one of her splendid fuck-ups. "I was such a moron talking to her. I mean, I can blame it out being distressed about the gossip news but really, I should have realized she was just out for dirt. Speaking of her, her big "expose" really kind of died. I haven't heard of any kind of negative blow-back for us. Even Kurosaki stopped trying to contact me."

"There's a reason for that," Ulquiorra replied. "Our lawyer has slapped Takahashi with a cease and desist letter and threatened to expose her for the gold-digging bitch that she is."

"Money well-spent then, I guess. Still, it doesn't explain why Kurosaki dropped off the face of the earth, or Hirano either, for that matter."

Ulquiorra grimaced. He had to tell Orihime. "Hirano hasn't. She's been calling me but I've declined them. I have nothing to say to her. She brought this upon herself."

"Oh," she said, surprised and not happy. She was quiet for a second and then exhaled heavily and sat up, criss-crossing her legs and staring at nothing. She thought about Hirano and started to chew on the inside of her cheek. The only reason she would be calling is because she didn't want to leave Ulquiorra alone. Hirano was a lot smarter than Emi or Yui. Hirano was a lot smarter than Orihime, she admitted to herself. If there was a way for someone to weasel between her and her husband, it would probably be Hirano that found it Why did she want to, though?

Studying Orihime for as many hours as he had, Ulquiorra knew that she was unhappy. "You have nothing to worry about, you know," he told her. "I will not be swayed by anyone to leave you."

Orihime nodded but didn't turn around. She wasn't stupid. There was _always_ a way to destroy a relationship. It didn't matter how rock-solid or pure the love was. Every person had weaknesses, needs, fears, and insecurities that could be played on. Someone like Hirano, who had unfettered access to both of them in the past, probably knew all she needed to know to blow things up for them if she wanted to. All Orihime could do was hope she didn't want to. "I need to get some water," she said as she stood up from the bed and went down the stairs. She didn't want him to see her like this, and she felt sick to her stomach anyway. She needed air.

Was this going to happen every time something came up? Was she always going to run away from their problems? "Hime? You coming back up here?" Ulquiorra called out, sitting up on the bed. It would be a dick move but he knew he could always used flash step to get to her.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute," she called up between sips of water. She set the glass down and took a few more deep breaths, then made her way back up to the bedroom. She saw him sitting up in the bed and sighed before speaking. "I don't like that she is trying to contact you, although it's not your fault. What business could she possibly have with you that is any good? It seems like she is trying to stir the pot."

He heard her on the stairs. Ulquiorra molded his face into an impassive expression. "Don't know, nor do I care, Woman. I've been declining her calls since she started calling, hoping she'd get the message that I did not wish to talk to her."

"When did she start calling?"

"A week ago? A couple days ago? I've mentioned to Takeda about changing numbers but she says that's a pain so I've just ignored my phone mostly."

"Why didn't you tell me about it sooner? You can block her number, by the way."

"It seemed insignificant. It's not like I talked to her or anything. You did this back in Hueco Mundo, made a fuss about every little thing. It's not a big deal. I'm not interacting with her."

Orihime looked at her husband with an unimpressed face. "That's not the issue, and I'll ask for clarification on the Hueco Mundo thing later, but how am I supposed to defend my territory if I don't know that there are dogs trying to sniff around the edges? I don't expect you to do anything more than you are doing, except tell me. I can tell Hirano to fuck off myself."

He gave her an unimpressed stare. "You would always freak out when I walked into your room in Las Noches. You cried constantly and then would lecture me about stuff. That is what I mean about making a fuss in Hueco Mundo. Now you just get in a huff every time I say something you don't like or I don't tell you about everything I do or happens to me," Ulquiorra countered. "There is nothing for you to defend because I am not interested in anyone but you."

She flopped down onto the bed and turned her head to look at him dubiously. "Oh come on. This coming from the guy who still wants to maim Kurosaki? You know I am hopelessly devoted to you but if he starts talking to me you are defensive too, Pot."

"I have my reasons for that, Orihime. Kurosaki wants to dick you down. How am I supposed to react to that? Give my blessing and watch?" Ulquiorra scoffed at the idea. "You should know I am the same and you do the same. A bitch from my past comes knocking and you become like some kicked puppy, all sad and disheartened."

"Do I sound like a kicked puppy right now?" she growled. "Here's the difference, Ulquiorra. She actually _did_ fuck you, and she wants to come back for seconds. So yeah, I'm defensive. Sue me."

He did not understand why they couldn't be happy; why everytime they got a slice of domestic bliss something came along to destroy it. "Do you think I am stupid enough to do that? Do you think I want that?"

"Of course not. But I have my pride too, Ulquiorra. As dumb as that may sound to you. I can't sit around and let some woman disrespect me by going behind my back and trying to steal my husband, regardless of how futile it is. You must know how this feels."

He knew how it felt but he didn't get into an uproar every time it happened. He also didn't attack Orihime every time she got a call or message from Kurosaki. He looked at his wife, carefully studying her face then frowned. "I don't plan on talking to Hirano. I don't plan on fucking anyone but you. I try to give you the freedom of having friends although you've done things with one of them. If I told you that you couldn't speak or look at Ishida again, what would you do? It would kill you inside, you'd cry. The truth is, I don't remember screwing Hirano. She could be lying. There's no proof that we had sex. That's how I feel about the entire thing. I don't remember it, thus it didn't happen."

Orihime raised her eyebrows at him. She didn't know what to say. He clearly had no clue if he was comparing Ishida to Hirano. The difference was obviously intent. She thought about that for a minute. While she didn't have proof that Hirano was intent to try to seduce Ulquiorra, she couldn't help but think that was what it was about. Why else would she have been such a bitch when they were signing their marriage paperwork? On the other hand, Quin had been overjoyed for her. He clearly had zero ambition to ever revisit their past indiscretions, and neither did she. She understood that it would do no good to try to explain this. Ulquiorra had a different way of rationalizing things that didn't make sense to her sometimes. He compared apples to oranges and expected her to understand. She did not.

"Well she says it did. Anyway, you're right, that doesn't matter, because despite my displeasure at this situation I _do_ trust you. I would trust you to work with her again, honestly. That's not what this is about. It's not about you. It's about me not trusting her and that's it. In the end it makes no difference though, because I know you would not entertain her advances," she said. She was not satisfied but she realized there was going to have to be some agreeing to disagree on this.

"I understand you feel threatened, I don't understand the why. It's like I know you wouldn't give Kurosaki the time of day, but I know he did something crazy when he found out I was alive. I don't know if he'd do something like that again or not."

"He might. He might not. Just like her."

Ulquiorra nodded. "We've actively avoided these people. I suggest we keep doing this to keep our relationship from imploding. I don't care if that asshole calls or sends you messages, I know you have no interest in him."

Orihime suddenly had a very strong urge to hold him, and climbed higher up the bed to do so, wrapping her arm around his belly and burrowing her head between his ribs. "Okay it's a plan," she said quietly, although her grip on his side communicated her remaining distress despite herself.

His hands ran through her hair. "Woman, you have nothing to fear. I won't leave you," Ulquiorra said before pulling her into his lap. "This is forever. I'll even haunt you after I'm dead."

"Ha, you think I'll outlive you. You silly person," she murmured. She really wanted to somehow worm her way under his skin if she could. She could not remember ever feeling as clingy as she felt right now. She straddled his lap and put her arms around his neck, pressing her breasts into his chest and pressing her cheek to his, and just held on tight, breathing her tension away.

Ulquiorra smiled at her and put his hands on her waist, running his hands lightly under her shirt. "You're going to grow old and wrinkly and I'll still love you," he teased.

She nodded and breathed a ragged breath, blinking a few tears out of her eyes. "You too. I look forward to it. I wonder if you'll go bald?" she said, just to try to break herself out of this heightened sense of neediness. It worked a bit, and she smiled.

He gave her a grin where he showed his teeth and that dimple appeared on his right cheek. "If I go bald, it'll be because all of the craziness making me tear my hair out."

Orihime pulled the corners of her lips down and back in a goofy, apologetic expression. "Sorry… I guess I haven't been helpful in that regard." she pulled her hair from behind her neck and lifted it up over his head so it looked like he had a shaggy, copper-colored wig. "I wonder how you'd look as a redhead? I have a lot of hair; I could always spare you some," she giggled.

"I'll just go bald thanks. Why would I want to be a ginger like Kurosaki?" he said, brushing her hair off him. Ulquiorra grabbed the mass of hair that hung down his wife's back and tugged gently. "I don't think I'll be cutting my hair again though. My head gets cold now."

"You need a scarf," she said. "And you're right, red's not your color," she leaned back and imagined him with long hair again. "Mmm, how long are you going to let it get? I like it to about here," she said, pointing to a spot just below his shoulder. "I can honestly say I have never seen your hair in a way I don't like it," she said as she inadvertently rolled her hips over his. She felt the contact though, and her eyes met his in acknowledgement before she smiled and blushed, embarrassed at herself.

Ulquiorra leaned back, using his hands to prop himself up and looked at her with an amused face. "I'm not saying no," he said. "I don't have any other clothing here if you make me come in my pants though."

"Oh," she said, honestly a little surprised but not unwilling. She got off of his lap and said, "I could go, take your pants off."

He needed no other invitation, quickly shedding his clothes, like some eager boy. Ulquiorra lay back on the bed with his hands under his head. "You should take a picture, it might last longer," he smirked.

"Hmm," she said, tilting her head to the side and trying to decide how she wanted to approach this. She was fully dressed. He was laid out like a buffet. So many choices. Ultimately she decided to just whip her pants and panties off and climbed back onto his lap. Without words or any kind of kissing or foreplay, she slid herself onto his dick and started rocking slowly.

This was unexpected. He had thought she would draw out the foreplay and torture him somewhat so Ulquiorra's breath caught in his throat as his cock was sheathed inside of her. "Fuck," he muttered, his eyes closing. A groan escaped his throat, feeling how hot her body was against his. "A bit of warning next time?"

Orihime chuckled. "What? No good? Don't like the element of surprise? Alright. I guess we can do it properly next time," she teased, continuing to move over him with a gentle, somewhat lazy rhythm. She was in no hurry.

Ulquiorra bit his lip to keep another moan from coming out. "No good? Wife, are you insane? This feels-It's so damn good. It was just I was expecting some foreplay or something because that's what you like," he said as soon as he felt like he was in control of himself. He gripped her hips and moved his with hers. "I could just flip us over and fuck you into the mattress."

She kept up her casual facade, despite the growing heat between them now that he was moving in her as well. "Yeah, that would work too. As you please, my love," she smiled and put a little more swing into her hip rolls.

It didn't sound like much of a challenge, but Ulquiorra rolled them over so that Orihime was on her back with her ankles resting on his shoulders. "As I please?" he asked with that same smirk plastered on his face.

Her eyes widened momentarily and then she smiled through her legs. "That is the standing offer."

He positioned her body so that he could move without bending over and folding Orihime in half. Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow at her before he withdrew from the woman's body and thrust back into her without any warning.

Orihime cried out loudly, her hands searching for something to grab onto, finally finding a wrinkle in the sheets overhead with one hand and the hem of the shirt she still wore with the other.

Keeping the pace slow, Ulquiorra continued to slam into her, delivering what he promised, fucking her into the mattress at a steady pace. "You like this?" He asked, before turning his head and placing a kiss on Orihime's ankle.

"Uh huh," she whimpered, sounding altogether unsure, but eager nonetheless. He thrusted into her again, earning him another loud "ah."

"Keep telling me how much you love it, Orihime. You like getting fucked by me?" Ulquiorra was getting into this and punctuated every word with a thrust, burying himself deep into her body.

As long as he kept doing what he was doing, he could ask her for whatever he wanted. If he wanted to hear her explain how much she liked it, she would let him know. "I love it, Ulquiorra. I love to feel your huge cock fill me up and threaten to rip me apart. I love it when you fuck me, lover. I want to hear your body slap the back of my legs as you get lost inside of me."

His thrust quickened upon hearing her words. Ulquiorra wasn't holding back either. He planted his palms on the bed on either side of her head and braced his feet against the mattress. If she wanted to talk dirty to him, he'd show her how much he enjoyed it. Feeling that liquid warmth wrap around his cock was bliss as he rocked his hips into his wife, biting his lip. He wanted to hold off his orgasm for as long as possible just so that she could reach that pinnacle first. "I want you to come on me, Woman."

"You do? Then tell me how much you love it, Lover. Tell me how it feels inside of me,' she moaned, her eyes barely open but those visible slits of dark irises still remaining glued to his face.

Just the thought of telling her everything he loved about her and her body was enough to start unraveling of his self-control. "It's hot and wet. It's like silk against me-Fuck," he moaned. He felt his body twitch and he groaned, his cock pulsing as he came inside of her.

She could feel it; the moment he lost control. Usually she was too preoccupied with her own release to really experience how it felt; the jerking, the pressure of the spurts of his cum filling her and leaking slightly out of her entrance, the way his body slackened over her slightly. This was a new experience. A sly half-smile started growing on her face. Although she didn't come, she couldn't help feeling some amount of self-satisfaction. Ulquiorra _never_ relinquished control, but this time, without really trying too hard, she felt that she had bested him.

His body fell against hers and Ulquiorra was huffing for breath. "Sorry," he mumbled against her neck, feeling a tinge of embarrassment..

'I'm not. I feel that good to you?" she asked, wanting to make this worth her while.

His face bloomed with color as he tried to sit up. Ulquiorra nodded. "I can listen to you talk that way to me but I can't do it. I get too into it. The mental images... " He stammered over the last few words.

She was not going to give up. "What mental images? Come on, you're not inside me now. You can tell me."

"Feeling how you feel against me. Seeing my dick going into your body. Being with you like that and talking about it makes my brain go into overload.

"I want to see it. I want to watch our video. After your show."

His eyes widened and Ulquiorra looked at her. "Are you serious? I mean," he gulped. "We would have to come back here and watch it."

She nodded, still incredibly aroused, bringing a hand to herself and touching the wetness and then raising it up to look at it. "I'm completely serious. I want to see us."

Ulquiorra couldn't help but watch Orihime's hand. "You didn't get off, did you?" he asked. He moved her legs apart and positioned himself so that his head was between her thighs. "I've made a mess of you."

"The best kind of mess," she murmured, still in that hazy, pre-orgasmic state of consciousness.

With two fingers, Ulquiorra slowly sank them into her, watching how every slide of his fingers made strings of come ooze out of her. It was kind of a turn on. "Did you at least enjoy yourself?" he asked, green eyes flicking up to her face.

"Mmmmhmmm, this is good too," she purred, twisting and rocking her hips so his fingers would go deeper.

His thumb brushed over her clit several times before he inched forward and lapped at that sensitive bundle. He hoped this was okay for her. He felt bad not getting her off but it just proved he was human and not some sex god.

If Orihime could read his mind, though, she would disagree. This was a whole other kind of deliciousness. She decided to carry the dirty talk through this, too, although it was only for her own benefit. "Mmm, Ulquiorra, I love the way your hot, wet tongue feels on my clit. It makes me feel like I'm swimming in a pool of you. And your fingers inside me feel so good, the way you touch me inside makes me want to come all over your hand." She was getting worked up now, and touched his hair and grabbed a handful of her own breast as she moaned. "Uh, your breath on my body feels so hot…"

So she wasn't super creative. No one could blame her in the moment. Her breathing was starting to hitch anyway.

He wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying. He could vaguely hear her talking but he was focused on the task at hand. Ulquiorra kept his mouth attached to her and his fingers curled slightly inside of her, stroking her as he licked and sucked at her clit. The wetness around his fingers was increasing. She had to be getting turned on by this.

Her orgasm hit her fast and hard, and she nearly screamed, her stomach muscles contracting and pulling her shoulders off of the bed as her legs trembled and the load that Ulquiorra had put inside of her got pushed out my her inner spasms. Ulquiorra kept going until she begged him to stop, pushing him away and scooting up the bed.

"I didn't know you were that close," he said, smirking at Orihime.

She couldn't respond, she was too out of breath. She scoffed once, though.

The grin on his face spread and he crawled up to where she sat. "C'mon _Baby_. What's wrong?"

She smiled too, and as soon as she was able, she answered, "Nothing is wrong, and you _know _it. I have no complaints."

He chuckled, then kissed her. "Want to stay here tonight? We can go over your plans and discuss paintings for your show. Some of them you may not want."

"Yeah, I need to take a shower. We need to bring some clothes and things over here."

"Do you want me to do that while you're in the shower?" he asked. "I could get some other stuff for over here too; toothbrushes, soap… I know we're not going to be living here after you graduate, but like essentials that we need if we want to stay over."

"It's a good idea, this can be our "Shinjuku HQ," she giggled. "It might sound weird, but I kind of don't want you to go while I'm in the shower… I'm not really familiar with this place and I don't really feel safe without you here."

Ulquiorra wrapped his arms around Orihime. "It doesn't sound weird at all. This is what, your first time actually visiting since I got stuff moved in? It's understandable that you don't feel right here. You were more at home at my other loft."

She nodded. "I don't think I was ever there without you though, was I?"

He had to think about this and every time she came over to his other loft when he lived there. The only times he left her alone was when she was asleep so she had no clue. "No, you were with me pretty much the whole time. I mean I'd slip down to the store to get something and leave you alone but I always locked the door. Crofton told me to lock my place and he had been a human much longer than I had been, so I followed his advice."

Her eyebrows flashed. "I'm glad you did, yuck." she shuddered, imagining the possibilities. "Anyway, I can just re-wear my clothes for today and next time we come we can bring a duffel bag. Okay?"

"I'm absolutely okay with that," he said. "I think we should get a nap in before working on the rest of your show, what do you say to that?"

"Yaaaaaas," she replied, her eyes bugging out with enthusiasm for the idea of some sleep.


	53. Chapter 53

**Chapter 53: Only Human**

Ulquiorra's show went off without a hitch and he refused to sell two of the paintings. The Woman and the Moon and Hera, the painting of Orihime as the goddess. People raved about them and he was informed there was a bidding war going on for the other three of the goddess paintings. The big graphic prints sold out and so did the limited editions. After it was all said and done, Ulquiorra looked at the statement the gallery owner gave him and whistled, eyes widening at the amount at the bottom.

The three goddess paintings sold for 180 million yen. Who in their fucking right state of mind would pay that much for just three paintings? The rest of the paintings sold for another 20 million yen. Ulquiorra shook his head. He could not believe some people. Orihime seemed to have fun at the show. She was a proper hostess in his eyes, where he stuck to the shadows and lurked around the edges, watching people.

After that show concluded, he felt like things were going great. His wife was on schedule with her first fashion show. Yamada was actually speaking up to volunteer ideas or to say that he needed a break. Quin, as far as he knew, was keeping his hands to himself. Takeda was still keeping him busy, but that was nothing new. He figured out how to block Hirano's number so he wasn't receiving her phone calls.

Everything was fine… Until a knock sounded during the first week of March.

Ulquiorra was painting for his next show that was scheduled for May. He put down the paintbrush and walked over to the door, opening it to find Hirano on the other side. "What the hell are you doing here?" he asked his former assistant.

"Nice to see you, Cif," Hirano snapped and made to walk inside of the loft. She seemed surprised when Ulquiorra stopped her.

"No. Absolutely not. State your business and then fuck off, permanently." He walked into the hallway and closed the door behind him.

"I came to say I am sorry. Jay blames me for losing you as a client and-"

"And nothing, I don't care. I'm much happier with Takeda and my assistant," Ulquiorra replied. "I actually get work with her instead of the occasional offer for a gig or a show."

Hirano nodded. "I know. I'm constantly bombarded with your name. I've been hanging out with Yui, as soon as her contract is up with what's his face, I'll be representing her. Apparently, Kurosaki-Is that his name? Well, he's like batshit jealous over you and your wife."

Ulquiorra sighed. He did not need this right now. "Anything else, H? There's a reason I didn't want to answer your calls or talk to you. I wish you respected that. How did you find out about this place?"

"My IT guys."

It figured. He rubbed his forehead and then looked at her. "Last chance, anything else you want?"

Hirano lifted her shoulder in a shrug. "I apologized, that's all I wanted. And to offer my friendship, but I can see you're still sour about the whole thing."

That made Ulquiorra growl with displeasure. "Had you been truthful in the beginning and not so shitty on my wedding day, we could have possibly worked something out. Instead it looks like you got butthurt because you wanted another chance to fool around with me."

"I wouldn't say no-" Hirano started to say but she quickly changed her tune as she saw anger bloom on Ulquiorra's face. "No, that's not the case, C. I was just mad because you and Orihime have love; I got married out of convenience. I act like that whenever someone close to me gets married."

"Really? Because the bitchy text that my wife saw says otherwise," he retorted.

Hirano sighed and then got to her knees, lowering her head to the floor. "I'm sorry," she stated. "Do you believe me now?"

He scowled at her. "Get the fuck up."

"No, not until you-"

"Fine, now get up. It's not me you have to apologize to, Hirano. You have to show remorse to Orihime," Ulquiorra said, feeling uncomfortable at the woman's actions.

"Funny, I've tried but she won't take my calls or answer my emails," Hirano said as she got to her feet again, dusting off her knees. "Fuck, I think I tweaked my knee. Fucking customs and formalities. I just came over here to tell you I'm sorry and I miss having you around. I have no one to annoy."

With that Hirano walked to the elevator and Ulquiorra went inside of the loft. He found his phone laying on the desk and texted his wife.

_\- Hirano came by. She apologized. Wtf? She bowed and everything. I told her she needed to apologize to you but says you won't accept her calls or emails. She passed along the info that Kurosaki is jealous of me? Us? Not sure. Are you at yoga with Hiro?_

Orihime was not a very good yoga student. She did the poses and all, but she would get bored and stop early to chat with the person on the neighboring mat or text someone or check her emails. After she got the text from Ulquiorra, she sat the current pose out and replied.

_\- wtf? I haven't gotten any communication from her since we were in Nikko. She's a liar. And now she's hanging out with Kurosaki? Something isn't right._

Ulquiorra sighed. It did seem fishy, but he should probably explain.

_\- Yui's gonna be her client soon and apparently she's spilling secrets. You read that article. It didn't sound like they split on good terms._

_\- And yet they did the article together? Ever heard of, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend?" Even if Kurosaki and Yui don't like each other, they may conspire together against us._

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. Of course he had never heard of that. He tapped the button to call Orihime, but then remembered she was in class.

_\- Woman, you know I haven't. I don't think Hirano is up to anything. I've not heard from Yui for months. However, I might be inclined to agree that Kurosaki is crazy enough to plan something against us but you know I don't like him._

Orihime was fuming.

_\- What is it you see in that woman that makes your brain shut down? She is not up to anything good. You were never friends. She worked for you and drove you crazy. She was a bitch to me. She lied to you about trying to contact me. And now she shows up at our loft? How does she even know where it is? She. Is. Up. To. Something._

He sighed dramatically and flopped down onto his computer chair. He told her Hirano showed up and she still wasn't happy.

_\- Probably the same thing that you see in Kurosaki. Kurosaki-kun, ugh. She was kinda a friend while I had my head up my ass. She had her IT guys find me. _

D'Nile's not just a river in Africa, Orihime thought to herself, rolling her eyes. That or her husband was an idiot.

_\- you have got to be kidding me. I have been dodging him for over a year now and completely cut him off all contact a long time ago. And I bet Hirano was a friend, the same way Yui was. And you can't tell me it's not fucking creepy that she had her IT guys track you down. Are you flattered by her attention? Why do you keep defending her?_

_ \- The guy got Grimmjow to kill me and you still have the balls to call him anything but dickhead. Do you think I want Hirano around? I never said I accepted her apology. I just said she showed up. JFC, Hime._

_\- Yeah, I call him by his name sometimes because how the hell else will you know who I'm talking about? Why are you so defensive about Hirano?_

This was getting exhausting fighting about this. Ulquiorra pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling tension gather at the back of his head. He look a deep breath before exhaling.

_\- Think what you want. I can't stop you. I felt she was sincere but who knows with how people act anymore. I'm not a people expert. I'm mad because when Kurosaki does pull shit, I don't attack you when it comes up. I go after him. Whenever someone from my past comes up you get shitty with me._

_\- I'm not trying to get "shitty" with you. I am panicking. _

He grew worried. Why would she be panicking?

_\- What's wrong? Why are you getting upset, besides Hirano? Do we need to meet at the apartment?_

She sighed. How was she supposed to tell him about the dreams she had? The same ones she had been having since he left her in that hospital room nearly a year ago. She shook her head. This was starting to become a problem more and more frequently. It was time to come clean.

_\- Yeah. We need to talk, I think._

It felt like the bottom of his stomach dropped to his feet. They needed to talk… About what? What did they need to talk about? Was she pregnant? Had she found someone else? Had Orihime been having an illicit affair with Yamada or Ishida?

_\- About what?_

That was the question, wasn't it? What was the real issue? His lack of judgment when it came to women who pretended to be friendly with him? Her jealousy? Or was it her sanity? Maybe all of the above.

_\- I've been having dreams that make me insecure. They've been going on a long time…_

She deleted that text and started over.

_\- I'm nervous about things. We need to clear the air. _

He didn't give a shit if she was in the middle of yoga class. Ulquiorra tapped her name and called Orihime, waiting for her to pick up.

She stood up and left her mat in the yoga studio and went out to the hallway.

"Hello?"

"What do you mean clear the air, Woman? What's going on? What are you nervous about?" Ulquiorra asked. "And hello."

She sighed. "I can't really explain easily. I just have a really strong feeling that something bad is going to happen soon, and I can't shake it. I've been having these dreams… I've had bad dreams for a long time but they are getting more frequent."

"Dreams? Like the dreams I was having? Are these flashbacks?" Ulquiorra grabbed his hoodie and put it on and then left the loft. He made sure to lock the door behind him. "Maybe it's that stress thing."

"What stress thing?" What he was saying sounded familiar but it didn't come to mind right away.

He couldn't remember what it was called although he had read about it online. "It's like shock or trauma from an incident. I don't remember. Okay, so you've been having bad dreams. Why didn't you tell me about this sooner? We could have figured out something."

Orihime really didn't want to tell him. She knew he would blame himself, hard. "I'll tell you in person, okay? I really don't want to talk about it over the phone."

"Okay, I'll meet you at the apartment? Or did you want to go somewhere else?"

"I'm close to the apartment. Let's meet there."

* * *

He used flash step to get to the apartment in Shibuya in less than three minutes.

She spent the time walking over there to try to frame her thoughts. It wouldn't do to go into this conversation completely disorganized. Even if she had it written out in bullet points it was going to be hard.

When she got home, she called out, "Hello? I'm home…"

Ulquiorra stepped from their bedroom. Since he had arrived at the apartment, he'd been thinking things over. What could she be so worried about? What did she need to tell him in person. "I'm right here," he said when he saw her.

"Hi," she said, showing a conflicted smile at his worried face. She walked over to him and gave him a hug and took his hand, leading him back into the bedroom and closing the door behind them. Once they were inside she held his hand a while more. "This is going to be hard for you to accept, I think, so I want you to remember, that no matter what I'm going to say, I love you and I always want to stay by your side, okay? You have to remember and believe that."

"I have three questions before you start explaining," Ulquiorra said stepping away from her. He had to know. "Are you pregnant? Did you find someone else? Have you been sleeping with Kurosaki?"

"No, no, and definitely no!" she said, taking another step away and shaking her head in confusion. "Why would you ask me those things?"

"I don't know. You say that we need to talk and that's the first thing that came to mind was that-My brain kept telling me that was what this was all about."

"One, if I was pregnant, despite the less than ideal timing, I would be kind of happy to tell you about it. Two, and three, have I ever given you any reason to suspect me of doing that to you?" She huffed and sat down heavily on the bed with her hands between her knees.

He shook his head. "No, never," Ulquiorra replied. "What couldn't you talk to me about over the phone?"

She looked up at him with pinched eyes. "I've been having nightmares. Some about things that have happened, some about things that didn't happen but could have. I've been having them since last spring. They are becoming much more frequent. I thought about it on the way over here, and I think I know why that is. Anyway, that doesn't matter as much as the fact that it is having an effect on our relationship, and they are making me paranoid in general," she sighed. "I'm sorry about letting it affect my mood and how I interact with you. I'm not sorry about how I feel about Hirano, but I'm sorry about how I addressed it with you."

Ulquiorra crossed his arms over his chest and listened to what she said. "They're just dreams, right? Bad dreams," he stated. "You've been more restless at night but it's nothing any different."

She looked down and shook her head. "They're dreams, but they are based in reality. Memories. Possibilities. They cause real emotional distress." She took a deep breath. "I relive your death. Both times. I relive that day in the hospital. I relive you telling me you didn't want me around the second time. Sometimes I dream about you telling me you never wanted me, but you were only using me. Or that I had outlived my usefulness. I think they are becoming more frequent and more intense because my show is coming up, and it is a culmination of everything that started after I got out of the hospital."

It felt like Grimmjow's hand went through him again. Someone had taken all the air from his lungs. Her nightmares were because of him. "I would never tell you that," he offered in a quiet voice. "I explained to you that I was scared in the hospital. I wasn't ready for the possibility of that level of commitment. You know why I left you the second time. I was turning into someone who wasn't me, Orihime. I'm not a model. I'm not a people person. I'm a recluse. I'm an artist and I was throwing it all away because I thought it would make you happy. I know I said those words to you once but that was in Las Noches and I was a monster. I would never tell you that I used you or that you outlived your usefulness. You're my wife. I would not have stamped my seal on that paper if I was going to treat it flippantly."

"I know. I know it's all in my head. Memories and insecurities stewing and brewing and whispering, "It could happen again," to me while I sleep. For a long time I thought they were gone and I was done with them. After the thing with Crofton, they went away completely. But a few weeks ago they started again. The only thing I can think of is that the stress from my show, and the fact that the entire show was inspired by our break up and the feelings I had at that time, is what is making it come back now. I didn't want to tell you because I thought you would blame yourself, but now we're fighting about Hirano and Kurosaki and it just doesn't make any sense. I had to explain why I am acting so distrustful."

A heavy sigh left him. Ulquiorra gave a slight shake of his head. "I do blame myself, Orihime. I blame myself for every bad thing that has happened in your life since I entered it. When I left you the first time, I was-and even the second time, it tore me up when people would mention you or I would see pictures of you. I don't know what I have to do to make you believe that you're the only woman I have eyes for or that you are the only woman I love."

She nearly interrupted him. "That's the thing, Ulquiorra. I do believe it. I believe in you and I believe in us. I don't think Hirano can steal you from me. Even when I was texting you before I knew that she couldn't. But I feel like something bad is going to happen. I don't know if it will be her, or Kurosaki, or what. I'm on edge and paranoid. I think it's the dreams that are making me act this way. I hope that once the show is over, they'll go away for good."

"What if they don't? What if they get worse? What if something else happens? What if Kurosaki decides to be the world's biggest asshole and tells Grimmjow I'm alive? It's all speculation, Orihime, and I've learned that assuming shit will get you nowhere, remember?" Ulquiorra walked over to his wife and put his hand on her forehead. He hadn't done this in a while. He closed his eyes and called his spiritual pressure to his hand; imagined it infusing with Orihime. All he could imagine was all the love and affection he had for this woman. When he opened his eyes, he looked down at her. "This is just stress over graduation and your show. In a couple more weeks, it'll all be over and we can go on vacation or maybe back to Nikko or even further north."

She nodded, silent tears streaming down her cheeks, grateful for his understanding. "I think so," she sputtered. "I'm so sorry for doing this to you."

"Woman, you've done nothing to me. You are my wife. We are partners, are we not? I've done more to you than you have to me. I've left you several times and caused you emotional distress." Ulquiorra pulled her up and wiped the tears away from her face.

She shook her head. "No. I'm the one who can't leave the past behind, who keeps dredging it up. Who keeps feeling sorry for herself when I have absolutely nothing to be sad about. I am right about Hirano; she's got an ulterior motive. That doesn't mean that you deserve the third degree from me, though. I'm sorry."

Ulquiorra smiled down at her. "Lover, let me make one thing clear; Hirano can have ulterior motives. I would have to be interested in her for it to matter. It's like the situation with Yui. I knew what she wanted, I didn't give into her though. I have no intention of accepting Hirano's apology or offer of friendship. I can find better people to surround myself with."

"I can't say I'm not glad to hear you say that," she admitted with an ashamed smile.

"I know I may be a poor judge of character, but you have to remember I was the fourth Espada. I know how to be an unemotional robot if I want," Ulquiorra stated.

She smiled at him. "You've always been emotional to me. Even then."

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes as if he had heard that line a million times. "Blah, blah, blah, what is a heart? Maybe I can put on the uniform you made me and show you how emotional I can get. Tie you down and shove _something_ in your throat," he said with a slight raise of his eyebrow.

"Really? _Really? _Right now?" She laughed. "You know, there is something deeply reassuring about your constant pursuit of sex."

At least he made her smile. That brought some comfort to him. "I told you I was put into a body that needed sex and was a pervert. Buyer beware," Ulquiorra shrugged.

"No refunds, no returns." She looked at him with affectionate eyes. "Thank you."

Ulquiorra bit his lip and leaned down to kiss Orihime. "You're going to do great. Your show will be awesome. I'm walking in it, so people will be clamoring for a seat." He grinned at her, not bothering to restrain the ego he had.

She grinned and kissed him again. "You're right about that at least," she pulled back, holding him around the waist, and looked at him. His hair was getting longer. His eyes were smiling down at her. He looked every bit as in love with her as he said. He wasn't just saying that he was a sight to be seen, he truly was, especially from her perspective. "I love this face," she said, tracing a line from the outer edge of his brow down to his jaw with the backs of her fingers. "It will certainly pack the seats."

"If my face doesn't, the name certainly will, Mrs. Murcielago."

"Another thing I need to thank you for," she said. "I always thought my first show would be Orihime Inoue's. I got one hell of a boost to my image by snagging your name, Mr. Murcielago."

Ulquiorra thought about it for a moment before he said, "I mean you could use Inoue but you know, that whole UCOM thing kind of needs to be represented, after all it is your baby."

"No, it's _our _baby. You're just a deadbeat dad," she laughed hard at her own joke. "But honestly, I don't want to use Inoue. It's not who I am. I'm Orihime Cifer, and I'm proud of that. And I am proud of my Murcielago alias as well."

"You should be proud of it. You worked hard to get that name," he said. "I don't give my name to just anyone. You should know that. I had no Fraccion as an Espada. As a human I had no mate until I found you again."

"I know. I am honored."

* * *

That ex-Espada had been playing the long game. He had seen it in her back on the dome of Las Noches; the pity, the sadness. He had been grooming her since day one.

Yeah, he didn't want her then, so it wasn't a big deal. But things change. After everything with the war died down, so did his celebrity. Before the passage of two years, he was relegated back to "Ichigo Kurosaki: Substitute Soul Reaper." It was humiliating. He didn't even have his friends to relive the good old days with. Urahara was a broken man. Yoruichi didn't spend time in the World of the Living much anymore. And the new Karakura shinigami was a toad of a personality. He was bored. He realized he needed a distraction. One who might also worship him a little. There was one person who fit that description to a T.

Unfortunately she had moved to Tokyo.

So he took it upon himself to pay regular visits. She always acted disinterested but he caught her checking him out from time to time. He knew that if he was persistent, his efforts would pay off.

But then that hollow, the same one who had killed him twice, came back to life. Worming his way into Inoue's life again. The psychological conditioning he had begun back in Hueco Mundo must have been retriggered, because it took all of a couple of months for them to become inseparable. Then she started refusing _his_ attempts to communicate.

He thought for sure he had stumbled upon a perfect solution when he babbled about the reborn ex-espada to Grimmjow. It would rid the world of an evil Aizen disciple and free Inoue's attention to refocus on himself. But once again, his plans were foiled. Ulquiorra was resurrected by Inoue, who had bestowed new, mysterious powers in the man. He had been partially responsible, too. He kicked himself regularly for being weak that day; for giving into Inoue's selfish demands to help her. But who was he kidding? He never expected her to succeed in bringing Ulquiorra Cifer back to life. She hadn't been able to do it on the dome of Las Noches. He didn't think she'd be able to do it in Urahara's basement.

But she fucking did it. And then he had the satisfaction of watching him dump her. He texted and spoke with her regularly when she went off to Thailand, playing the role of the supportive friend, biding his time for her inevitable return to Japan and to him.

It was not to be.

As soon as she got back, that piece of shit Cifer proposed marriage to her. She, being the naive, brainwashed idiot she was, accepted. More shit went down. He was asked to help the pair of them once again.

This time he didn't refuse because he saw a chance for a return to glory. He knew if he was the hero of this fight, Orihime may see him as a hero again and come rushing back.

_He_ killed Crofton. Not Ulquiorra fucking Cifer. Ichigo fucking Kurosaki did! Ichigo fucking Kurosaki always saves the princess.

But that stupid bitch never listens. She doesn't think straight. They went to Mongolia together and got married like three days later. He almost fell apart. He almost lost it. Right before they skipped town again, he called her. He had to know the truth from her mouth.

It was true. It was done. They were married. She asked him not to contact her anymore.

It was over.

He drank a lot for a week. Then he called up that slut Yui and rode her raw for a couple of weeks. In the end, the only thing he had to show for it were a series of hangovers and a case of chlamydia. Luckily he was a medical student. He knew how to clear that up.

He might have been able to ignore it after that, but they couldn't just stay quiet. They had their names and faces everywhere. Mr. and Mrs. Murcielago. Who did they think they were kidding? Then these pictures of them modeling together. It was sickening.

Here they were in their fucking underwear, with him looking like a predator ready to pounce on her with his cock on display for everyone to see. Then there were those bikini pics on the beach showing anyone who looked nearly every inch of her body. And how could he forget the pictures of that slimy arrancar fucking Orihime in that novelist's apartment? He nearly blew up then. The thing that really tripped him up though, which surprised even himself, were those disgusting pictures of her in a wedding dress that his sisters showed him. Why was it that she needed to take solo wedding pictures? Was their marriage a sham?

Probably.

So he decided to do what any good friend would do. What any hero would do. He was going to rescue the princess from her sham of a marriage and return her to a woman of good standing. He just needed a plan.

Not that Ichigo had many options to work with. Ishida, the traitor, was in fucking camp Cifer, thinking that he and the Espada were friends. How the fuck could the Quincy be friends with a fucking hollow? It made no sense to him. None. At. All.

Urahara was out. He knew the Vizards could not give fuck all about anything.

If Orihime just answered his texts, phone calls or even a damn email, he'd move on. But because she wouldn't let him give his side of the story, she made him take matters into his own hands. He really only had one avenue to explore. Grimmjow.

The blue-haired Arrancar got the job done the first time. All he needed to do was get Cifer alone and then have Grimmjow attack. Cifer wasn't that powerful.

But Ichigo wasn't completely heartless. He knew Orihime would suffer if her precious hollow boyfriend got wasted by number six. So he decided to give her one last chance.

* * *

Ulquiorra opened the box that arrived at the loft. The delivery man had been cordial. He had ordered this from overseas. It would be the perfect thing to go with Orihime's graduation gift. His green eyes stared down at the 3D replica of his helmet.

He was almost scared to touch it. The people he had commissioned assured him that the mask would be lightweight but durable. From what he could see, they had painted it perfectly, the shadows were immaculate. Pale hands picked up the ridged helm. It was surprisingly light. He remembered the weight of the original mask fragment and how heavy it was. It wasn't like he could take the thing off; it had been fused to his skull. There had been times were he was tempted to tear the thing from his head but he had heard what happened to the Tercera Espada before Hallibel. The goat had shriveled and died from the wound in her mask. Of course, Nnoitra was telling that story and probably embellished the details.

He turned the thing over, trying to figure out how he was supposed to keep it on his head. Oh, he saw, there were little things he could clip into his hair to keep it there. Made sense.

The artist shifted where he stood and tried to shake off the uncomfortable feeling he'd experienced for most of the day. His skin felt prickly, like he had a constant case of goosebumps with his hair standing on end. He didn't want to bother Orihime with this, but things had been going great between them. He wanted to check in with her.

Setting the mask back into the box, he got his phone out of his pocket and snapped a picture of the box with the horn sticking out of it and sent it to her. It was then that he felt a peculiar sensation race down his spine. Was it a threat? Was that Grimmjow? Ulquiorra ran up the stairs to the loft and grabbed the sword off the stand and waited for a moment.

He was just overreacting. That had to be it. It was probably nothing.

* * *

Orihime had been in yoga again when she got another set of texts. She had not improved as a yoga student at all, and promptly got sidetracked by her phone. The first was from Nakamura, which she ignored. Then next was from Ulquiorra. What was this picture? A box with… wait, was that his hollow helmet? No way!

_\- Is that what I think it is? That is awesome! I can't wait to see it IRL. Are we going to do some kinky roleplay? I hope so. Xoxo._

She also got a call from an unknown number, which she ignored. She got another one two minutes later and another one immediately afterward. Then she got a text from the same number.

_\- Please stop ignoring me. Call me back. I'm waiting for you._

She felt sorry for whoever it was, but it must be a wrong number. She would deal with it after class, she decided, if at all. Sometimes it's better to not get involved in things like that.

About ten minutes later, she got another message, It was Quin.

_\- CALL ME ASAP! DO NOT COME HOME. CALL CIFER AND TELL HIM SAME._

What the hell? She decided to cut yoga short. Gathering her things, she left the yoga studio and went to the locker room, calling her roommate on the way. There was no answer. She called her husband, but he didn't answer, so she left a voicemail relaying the message and asking for a call back, then sent a text with the same message. She tried Quin again.

"Hello? Hime?"

"Yeah, What is it?"

"Ah, shit, Hime, whatever you do, don't come home. Kurosaki was just here. I caught him breaking in looking for you." Quin sounded panicky.

"What?" Orihime was understandably troubled by this news.

"He said you won't return his calls or his texts. He wasn't going to leave. I finally threatened to call the cops or fight him myself. He left, but I can feel that he's still hanging around here. Oh shit-"

A deep breath, followed by another was heard on the end of the line previously held by Ishida. "Inoue, is that you?"

Quin could he heard in the background, "Son of a bitch! You didn't have to hit me! I'm sorry Hime, he just-"

"Kurosaki?" she asked in a frightened voice.

"I'm not leaving here until I have a chance to talk to you. You owe me that much."

"No. I don't owe you any-"

"Shut up, Hime! You keep saying that, but who is the one who rushed into Hueco Mundo to save you? Certainly not yourself. Certainly not your precious Espada. Me. The same me who saved the world as we know it. So yeah, I'd say that earns me a chance to talk to you."

"Go home, Kurosaki. We have nothing to discuss!"

"No!"

She didn't respond. She was trying to decide whether to hang up or give him a piece of her mind.

"Orihime, there is a lot we need to discuss. About you. About us. But also about other things. Things that affect your husband."

Now he had her attention. "Like what?" she asked, afraid of what his answer might be.

"Like Soul Society stuff. Meet me at your school in an hour, okay?"

She swallowed hard. If Soul Society knew about Ulquiorra, everything they'd worked toward, everything they'd grown to be, was at risk. She had to know.

"Okay."

* * *

He scrambled for his phone as soon as he felt that sensation again. Orihime didn't pick up and Quin didn't pick up. He sent both of them a text and waited with the sword in one hand, phone in the other.

The spiritual pressure he felt was definitely not an Arrancar's. It wasn't a Quincy's. Was this a Shinigami's reiatsu?

No.

Oh hell no.

Ulquiorra could feel who this was. He had the exact same shit running through his own body. Using his Pesquisa, the green-eyed man felt for Kurosaki, who was moving quickly towards the direction of Orihime's school. She wouldn't be there. She had turned in her last assignments and cleaned out her studio earlier that week. All they were waiting for was her show.

He planned on telling her that a week later, UCOM was putting on the actual show so she'd have one fashion show under her belt where her fellow graduates wouldn't have that.

Why would Kurosaki be in Shibuya?

Why wasn't his wife answering her phone?

* * *

As she came out from the underground crossing, she checked her phone again. Ulquiorra had contacted her right after she lost service for a moment. She paused after she reached the top of the stairs back on the street level to call him back. She was almost at the school.

The phone rang twice. "Come on, Babe…" she said to herself, hoping he would pick up before Kurosaki found her.

Ulquiorra was frantic. For some reason his phone wasn't getting service. He didn't want to use flash step so it had taken him almost thirty minutes to jog from the loft to the general vicinity of the fashion college. He wanted to use his powers to locate Orihime but all he could focus on was Kurosaki.

He had taken Murcielago and the sheath from the loft, hoping that his skills with a blade had not diminished. He didn't know if he would need them or not.

"Where the fuck are you?" he growled as he looked around. Then his phone rang. It was Orihime. Ulquiorra almost dropped the device answering it. "Woman?"

"Oh, thank goodness. I've been trying to reach you forever. I'm at school and-"

She stopped talking. Another voice was heard near her. She did not cut the line, but left her phone on and connected to Ulquiorra's as the other voice spoke.

"Inoue. You finally made it."

"That's _not _my name, Kurosaki_. _You will address me as Cifer."

* * *

His head suddenly cleared and Ulquiorra reached out with his reiatsu. He needed to find his wife. Pinpointing her location, the former Espada finally used flash step to get closer. He didn't want to reveal himself too soon. He wanted to hear what Kurosaki had to say.

"So basically, Ori- _Cifer_, that's it. The new Shinjuku Shinigami is a nosy asswipe who wants to get promoted by tattling on Ulquiorra."

"What the fuck, Kurosaki? Why are you telling me this here? You could just tell me and Ulquiorra and Quin together or text me or have Urahara tell us."

"Because, Hime. I can help you. I can make this jerk keep his mouth shut. All I need is a little help in return."

Orihime's shoulders dropped a bit. So he needed help? With what? Healing on a mission? Well, if her husband's safety was on the line, perhaps something along those lines could be arranged. "What kind of help?" she asked softly.

Ichigo took the gentle tone of her voice as the invitation he had been waiting for over a year. He closed the short distance between them in an instant, and grabbing Orihime by the back of the skull, kissed her hard on the mouth, his other hand snaking behind her lower back and crushing her body to his.

Orihime froze for one second, then started to struggle. Ichigo was strong, though. Without the use of her mouth, she could not conjure her shield to separate them. She swatted at his arms and tried to push between them, but it only seemed to encourage Ichigo, who pried her mouth open and slipped his tongue inside.

Orihime only had one option. She bit him. Hard.

Ichigo released her head and pulled back. "Ah! What the fuck, you bitch!? What, you can be some arrancar's whore? You can go model nearly naked for anyone to see but when your true love comes back to town you bite?" he pushed her back hard enough that she fell to the ground.

Hatred crawled along Ulquiorra's brain as he saw that stupid ass ginger put his hands on Orihime. He dropped his phone and then pulled Murcielago from the sheath, stalking towards the bastard. "You got a fucking problem, Kurosaki? How about I call the fucking cops on you for assaulting my wife, you piece of trash!"

"Your wife, you say? That's fucking rich. The only pictures anyone has ever seen of your "wedding" only have her in them. She's been whoring around with you for long enough, Cifer. It's time to let someone make an honest woman out of her. And what's with the sword? You been antiquing?"

His lip curled in disgust. "That was a modeling shoot you moron! We got married at city hall!" Ulquiorra sneered. How dare this man say that Orihime was whoring around with him. She was an honest woman. He had done the right thing by marrying her. His spiritual pressure spiked and he glared at the orange-haired man. "You want to see how much of an antique this is, you coward?"

"Coward? Ha!" Ichigo laughed. "Bring it on, Cifer."

Orihime rose to her feet. "Are you addressing me, Kurosaki? Or my husband?" she asked, not waiting for an answer as she came around to face him.

"Whatever, you slut. I don't even care anymore. You don't even kiss well."

_Crack._

Orihime winced and shook her hand in an attempt to dissipate the sting in her palm that was quickly radiating through her wrist and down her arm. "Ow," she whimpered softly, turning to the side and cradling the hand she had used to slap Kurosaki across the face with.

Kurosaki took a moment to recover his wits, then slowly turned his face to both of them, his upper lip curling in disdain. "You both… You're just begging for it. I _tried_, Orihime. I tried to be nice. You've had your chance. I'm done being nice."

Ulquiorra was livid by the time he was close enough that he wasn't afraid of misfiring the damn thing. He'd seen Kurosaki do this once. They had destroyed that corridor in Hueco Mundo when it was done. Using Murcielago, Ulquiorra fed his spiritual pressure into the blade and waited a moment. What the fuck had Kurosaki said to activate the damn thing? Would it work if he said it? Would his old release command work?

He decided to try Kurosaki's, since the shinigami was the one whose power coursed through his body. He didn't scream it, though, like the idiot had done. "Getsuga Tenshou," Ulquiorra stated and then whipped Murcielago forward, unleashing that blackened-green reiatsu through the air at the man.

There was no scream or counter attack. Without any kind of acknowledgment, Ichigo fell into a charred, crumpled heap. He had not left his human body before meeting with Orihime. Orihime looked between his lifeless body and Ulquiorra with dawning horror.

Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh. Shit. Had he? Was he? Ulquiorra threw the sword down and ran towards where the Shinigami had fallen. "Oh fuck, I thought he would fight back. I-I-FUCK!" One part of his brain was telling him to grab his wife, grab the sword, find his phone and disappear. The other side of his brain had seen Orihime's face. She knew what kind of monster he could be. She knew he wasn't that Espada anymore, though. He glanced up at her face, a frown etched deeply on his mouth. "I didn't mean..."

Orihime's heart broke for her husband. She could see the pain marring his face. He was only human. He had just witnessed his own wife being degraded and attacked. He had retaliated in a fit of passion without knowing what the consequences would be. She fell to her knees beside him, silent tears rolling down her cheeks, and grasped his shoulders, asking, "Do you want… Do you want me to try to save him?"

This wasn't like the first or the second time he had killed the man. Those times had been completely different. He had no emotions when he took Kurosaki's life while in Hueco Mundo. This time was he was consumed by feelings of guilt. His entire body shook. Every second he wasted was one more that Kurosaki got closer to not making it. "Yes," he choked out. "I didn't mean to ki-I didn't mean to, Orihime."

"Shhh, shhh, Love. I know. I know," she murmured, pulling his head to her chest and kissing his hair, then, still holding him, called out in a shaky voice, "I reject."

Her golden dome surrounded Kurosaki's body. Immediately, the dark marks on his body began to slowly fade away. It was quite slow, though.

"As soon as you can, Ulquiorra, I need you to feed me some of your spiritual pressure, alright? Can you do that for me?"

"Huh?" He lifted his head looked at Orihime. "I don't-how? Wait! I have my own shield, do you think-No, wait, it's too small."

Orihime wiped a tear off of his face. She was sure he didn't even know it was there. "I think if you want to, you can. You can either lend me your power, as I did to you against Crofton, or you can try to use your own to heal. You have your own regenerative power. If you tried, I think you could have incredible healing power," she said, seeing the doubts written all over his face. "Or I can power you. Conjure your shield, Ulquiorra. I will pour my power into it."

He shook his head. "I have no clue what to do, Woman. I don't even know if my shield works!" Ulquiorra took a deep breath. He knew he had to do something. He looked at his wife's face. He could tell that she believed in him. She had his back. "I-I reject."

His shield took shape of a diamond and it wasn't nearly as big as Orihime's. "What do I do now? It's not-Oh..." Ulquiorra saw what was happening. Kurosaki's skin was returning to its normal color. The burnt skin was being replaced quickly.

Orihime maneuvered herself so that she was behind Ulquiorra, sitting on her heels so that she could see over his shoulder. Carefully, so as not to break his concentration, she spoke gently into his ear, "You're doing it, Love. Now, let me add mine."

She slid her hands down the length of his arms, resting her palms over the backs of his hands, and with a push of mental imaging and concentration, she forced her spiritual pressure through his hands and into his shield. Contrary to what she expected, her effort did not change his shield to be more like hers. Instead, it simply took hers over. The color of what had been her warm golden shield changed to a more silvery sheen, with dark green flickers of reiatsu sparking throughout. Orihime no longer had any control or sense of what was happening with or within the dome. Her fairies flew back toward her and perched silently on her shoulders, watching as Ulquiorra's small diamond "patch" shield had hijacked hers completely. He was doing this on his own now. She was just on standby, ready to provide reserve spiritual pressure. She didn't know if he understood this. She thought it best not to tell him and put too much pressure on him, but rather wait and see.

It didn't take long for the shinigami's skin to return to its normal peachy complexion. Ulquiorra studied Kurosaki, trying to discern whether or not the man was moving. When Kurosaki did move it was just a flinch in his face. The man grimaced. "Orihime, I think he's alive," Ulquiorra said, looking back at her. "Should I keep this on him or-" He didn't want to say take it down, just in case Kurosaki wasn't fully healed.

"I usually do it until they sit up on their own, but it's up to you. You are doing this on your own. See?" she said, pointing to the two fairies standing side by side on her right shoulder, still watching what Ulquiorra was doing with awe on their tiny faces. Orihime's own face was full of pride, tears welling in her eyes.

"What? What do you mean I'm-No," he said, shaking his head. Ulquiorra could not believe what she just told him. The idea absolutely floored him. "You're saying _I_ saved my enemy?"

She shook her head and smiled at him. "No, I'm saying you saved a life. You righted a wrong."

"I thought he would fight me. I didn't mean for this to happen," he said, turning his attention back to the Shinigami. The ginger had turned his head. He coughed.

"What… What did you do to me?" Kurosaki grumbled.

Ulquiorra was surprised to hear the man speak. "I healed you," he replied.

This is not how this was supposed to go, the Shinigami thought. "How did I end up here on the ground?"

"You don't remember?" Orihime asked, somewhat glad to consider the possibility.

Ichigo shook his head. "I remember seeing that prick holding a sword. Did we fight?"

The green eyed man shook his head. "I fired a getsuga tenshou at you. I did like you did years ago; wrapped around the blade and—" Ulquiorra sighed. "I thought you would fight back."

"Obviously I didn't. I never saw it coming," Ichigo muttered, and tried to stand, knocking his head on Ulquiorra's dome and flinching. "You can get rid of this," he advised, irritated.

"You could say thank you. You died." Orihime said in a flat tone.

Ichigo ignored her and waited for the shield to go down.

Lifting his hands and standing up, Ulquiorra stepped away from Kurosaki, the green shield disappearing.

Almost immediately, Ichigo charged Ulquiorra, his shoulder hitting him in the gut as they flew back down to the ground.

"What are you doing!?" Orihime shrieked, watching as Ichigo got to his knees, straddling her husband, and pulled his elbow back. His fist came down toward Ulquiorra's face with the intent to cause as much damage as possible.

Ulquiorra's hand caught it before he made contact.

"Stop it! Please!" Orihime cried, looking around and spotting Murcielago.

The former espada wasted no time with letting his spiritual pressure lash out and wrap around the man's throat. "You ungrateful brat! I save your life and this is the thanks I get? I could have left your ass rotting on the ground!" He snarled.

"I bet you would have too, if Hime didn't beg you to save me," Ichigo ground out, struggling against the pressure around his throat.

"No, Kurosaki. It was Ulquiorra's decision to save you. Not mine," Orihime stated.

Ulquiorra used another tendril of reiatsu to wrap around Kurosaki's wrist then forced it behind his back. He did the same thing to the other hand. "Stand up and get off of me. You need to accept that this is over, asshole. She doesn't want you. She doesn't need you."

Ichigo brought one foot flat to the ground, then the other, and using Ulquiorra's reiatsu as a support, awkwardly got to his feet.

The artist scrambled away from Kurosaki and looked over at his wife. "Orihime please bring me Murcielago," Ulquiorra asked, tightening his grip on the ginger man.

Orihime nodded and scampered off in the direction of the sword, collecting it and the light green sheath. She returned to her husband and held the items toward him.

He grabbed the hilt and pointed the blade at the Shinigami. "The next time you approach my wife will be your last, do you understand?"

Ichigo scoffed, as much as he could. "This isn't over, Cifer. I know you brainwashed her. She can't possibly love you, and you know it. You are too much of a coward to let me talk to her. You know that once I do, your little spell will break and she'll come to her senses."

"Talk to her? You have the opportunity to do so right now. All you have done is show her that you're some ungrateful and entitled bastard," Ulquiorra snapped. "You don't give a damn about her Kurosaki, all you care about is yourself!"

"Fine, take this shit off of me, we'll do it here." Ichigo demanded.

"No, you've attacked me once. I will not hesitate to run you through with this sword or cut off a body part." He scoffed at the other man. Did this idiot think he would fall for that? "We know I can end your life Kurosaki, so start talking."

"At least the throat part?" Kurosaki asked, making his voice dramatically strangled for effect.

Turning his head he looked at his wife. "Orihime do you want me to let him go?"

Orihime shrugged. "It's not like you can't stop him in an instant again if need be, but for convenience's sake, just the throat," she answered, her eyes traveling toward Ichigo coolly.

Ulquiorra released Ichigo's throat, and the ginger-haired man coughed unnecessarily.

"So?" Orihime asked, standing shoulder to shoulder with her husband with her arms crossed over her chest.

Ichigo launched into what must have been a much-rehearsed monologue. "Orihime, I know you think you love him. I know you think he loves you. I know it hurts you to hear what I have to tell you, but it's all a lie. One that he started telling you nearly seven years ago now. Orihime, you've been brainwashed."

Orihime rolled her eyes twice. She really could not believe how stupid Ichigo sounded. Did he believe his own bullshit? After a quiet, drawn-out scoff, she replied, "Kurosaki, I believe I instructed you to address me as Cifer, did I not? That is my name. It's not just a farce, either. It's my legal name. It's on all my financial paperwork. We have a family registry at City Hall. It's the real deal. We're grown ups with a real grown up relationship. This isn't some rinky-dink schoolgirl crush."

"Do you really believe your own bullshit? He has been scamming you! Orihime, don't you remember? You were in love with me. We were supposed to be together. You and me. You backed me up and we were going to ride off into the pages of Shinigami history together."

"Did you forget? I'm not a Shinigami. What, did you think I'd be satisfied being some footnote in the legend of the great and mighty Ichigo Kurosaki? And yes, I did love you, once, a very long time ago. That time is long over. You _never _loved me. You still don't, so I don't understand what you are so upset about. Is it just because you can't stand that I chose an enemy of yours over you? Is it all just male pride?"

"No, Orihime. No. I do— I do love you. I always have."

"Oh my _god._ That is such horseshit. You do not. You just want what you can't have."

"No, Hime. No one has ever looked at me the way you used to. I need that. I need you. I love—"

"Don't you dare say it again. You want someone to worship you. You want someone to glorify you. Well, I've got news for you, Kurosaki, you're not that great! Yes, you've done incredible, amazing things, things that deserve acknowledgement, but your personality sucks!"

"But you… Are you denying it? Are you saying you never loved me? Was it all just some kind of act to get ahead? What is it, Orihime, you'd better be honest."

"Be honest about what? I've never lied to you."

"Bullshit. Why was it I had to find out from Matsumoto that you were in love with me? Why couldn't you just tell me yourself? Is it because you were a coward, or because it was a lie?!"

For some reason this question made Orihime feel tiny. She had long regretted, when she was younger, not confessing to Ichigo and potentially missing her chance at happiness with him. She was sure it would have been fruitless, but it was a regret she carried nonetheless. And she didn't regret the choices she made that led her to her life with Ulquiorra. However, Ichigo's words brought up long forgotten wounds, and the hurt was starting to show as her eyes started to burn and her chin started to wobble.

"Because I… Because…" she couldn't finish. She sighed heavily as the memory of her and Rangiku talking in her apartment in Karakura about her dreads and deep insecurities replayed in her mind. She suddenly felt sixteen again. Sixteen and worthless.

"Because you decided to play hero and got injured. She confessed to wanting five lifetimes with you. She told this to you as you lay in your bedroom, recovering from that injury," Ulquiorra stated. He was reliving the memories of that night. He followed Orihime around for those twelve hours to make sure she followed the conditions that he laid out while in the Dangai. "I witnessed this. Had you really paid attention to Orihime and cared about her, you would have noticed she had a shadow following her around for an entire month. She was sobbing and was going to kiss you, but decided in the end that healing you was a better choice. She loved you enough back then to want to live five times and end up with you every time, Kurosaki. You didn't care. You just wanted to play the part of the hero. You treated her like she was an accessory. I never did that and she had the balls to slap me; to stand up to me. No one challenged me as Orihime did. She showed me what a heart was. She showed me that although I was a monster, I deserved everything a human deserved."

Ulquiorra sighed. "I had intentions to brainwash her. I was ordered to do so by Aizen. I couldn't. I didn't want to. I contradicted all of Aizen's orders for her. I decided that my death was worth saving her from you. I may have not understood what I was feeling as I was dying, but I know what I feel now, Kurosaki. I. Love. Her. You were her world back then and you threw it away. Now you're like a dog who wants to be told that he's a good boy. You need to find someone else to praise you, because Orihime is my entire world and I won't allow it."

Orihime sniffled as tears began to drop slowly out of her lids. She turned to Ulquiorra and hugged his arm, burying her forehead into it and smelling him; his scent giving her comfort and confidence.

A moment later, Orihime's face turned back to Kurosaki as the Shinigami spat, "I don't give a rat's ass what you'll allow, Cifer. It's up to Orihime."

"I love Ulquiorra, Ichigo." She said it in a way that sounded quite final. She used his given name to give weight to the statement. "He is _my_ entire world, and I will not allow you to separate us," she said, echoing her husband's words. "You will find someone else that makes you happy, but you have to let go of the idea of you and me, first."

Ichigo looked at her with his mouth hanging open in disbelief. He tried to speak but he had no words at first.

The artist put his free arm around Orihime. "I'm willing to let you go, Kurosaki, but if you attack me or Orihime, I will strike you down."

"Fine. I can see that you've made your decision. Nothing I say can sway you, can it?" He looked genuinely troubled by this revelation. "I'm sorry."

"What do you not get, Kurosaki? We are married," Ulquiorra snapped. "There is no swaying."

"Whatever," Ichigo muttered, brushing dust off his jeans as Ulquiorra freed his hands, "I'm leaving. You won't hear from me again, Orihime," he said as he turned and started walking off.

Orihime's only reaction was to clutch Ulquiorra's arm tighter.

Before Ichigo walked out of sight, he said, barely audible, "I hope you change your mind before it's too late."


	54. Chapter 54

**CHAPTER 54: Across Lifetimes**

The energy around the apartment was chaotic the days leading up to Orihime's mock fashion show. Things seemed to go back to normal between Ulquiorra and Orihime. They bickered less. They seemed more in love than ever.

"So, Woman, I've got a surprise for you," Ulquiorra said as he stood in their bedroom. "This is just a school fashion show right?"

"Yes. Why do you ask? What kind of surprise?" she asked, a single brow raising slowly at him.

He smiled. "What if I told you that the week after that, you'll be putting the show on for real? UCOM, A.K.A. me, is sponsoring your first show as an independent fashion designer?"

"What?! But… What?!" Orihime was blindsided. She had anticipated a big turn out for her school show, but if it was a real show, independent of the fashion college, lots of industry people could show up. "Do you think it's good enough? Are my designs ready for real fashion people?" Although her question indicated some self-doubt, her face and voice were excited.

The artist shrugged. "That's something only you can answer, Woman. I know this would mean a lot to you, so it's your graduation gift, from me to you."

"Best. Husband. Ever." She took a step toward him with each word she spoke and when she reached him, she jumped on him, squeezing his neck and kissing his cheek. "Thank you so much, Ulquiorra. This is… This is amazing."

He grinned at her. "I wanted you to get a bright start to your career and I know how hard it is to struggle from the bottom of the pit. I didn't want you to have to deal with that. You've had so much shit thrown at you already. The night of the show is also an art show. Afterwards, the gallery will be open to the public."

"Oh," she said, blinking back up at him. "So I better be in top form that day. Wow. This is going to be exciting."

Her enthusiasm was infectious. "Well, I also want to take you to the loft before or after to take some photos of you. We can do it before the school show. It might be better than waiting for the night of the actual show. You might not be as nervous or anxious then."

"Okay. I guess that will work, but just so you know, it will have to be early in the day or the night before, because I'm going to be swamped the day of," she warned him.

"Hmmm," he hummed thinking about his options. If he did a late at night shoot, he would have to get some more lights for the loft. If it was an early morning shoot he could photograph her naturally. She would be her sleepy morning tousled self. There were more options for the morning than the night before. "I'll make an appointment for the morning of, Mrs. Cifer. We'll be doing this at the loft, so we'll go there the night before."

"Sounds like a plan, Mr. Cifer. Have your people call my people," she said with a laugh and then lifted up on her toes to kiss him. "I love you so much. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Don't worry about anything, Orihime. Everything's gonna go perfectly."

* * *

Footsteps echoed in the vast hallway of Las Noches. Ichigo felt like he'd been walking forever. The shinigami was about to give up when a voice rang out.

"You've been going in circles for hours, Kurosaki. What are you doing here? Did you come to get your ass beat?"

Grimmjow.

Brown eyes narrowed as he looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of the taunting voice. "Grimmjow! You failed, loser!"

"I failed?" The Arrancar asked. "How?"

"Ulquiorra Cifer is-"

There was a blast of spiritual pressure which took Ichigo by surprise. What was even more shocking was the fact that Grimmjow dropped from the ceiling and landed on his feet. "Ulquiorra is what? He's been dead for months."

"Wrong."

It was satisfying to see the blue-haired hollow's jaw drop to the floor. "What? What the hell do you mean by "wrong", Kurosaki?"

The orange-haired man used the side of his thumb to wipe his mouth before he walked to one side of the hallway and leaned against the smooth wall. "Let me tell you a story, Grimmjow."

* * *

The artist was glad that he got up before the alarm went off. It was sunny and there was enough light filtering through the windows that illuminated the area perfectly. He had set everything up the night before, after they made love. It seemed to calm Orihime down enough to let her sleep. He grabbed the DSLR that was sitting on his bedside table and put it up to his eye, pressing the button down. Ulquiorra got pictures of Orihime sleeping. He snapped photographs of her naked back and ass. He smiled as she rolled over, mumbling something about the blanket he had thrown off of her. "Hime, baby, wake up for me." he said to her crouching beside the bed. He wanted to capture the moment her eyes opened and looked at him.

She smiled at hearing his voice before she opened her eyes, first cracking one open slightly and then the other. "Good morning, Love," she murmured, stretching the arm that she wasn't lying on out behind her. "What are you doing up already?"

The camera clicked, and he tilted his head from behind it. "You said you would let me photograph you, and that's what I am doing. What was the word you called it? A boudoir photoshoot?"

"Oh? Is it your birthday?" She chuckled. "I'm kidding, but aren't these kinds of things usually done with like, fancy lingerie and feather boas and things like that?" She asked, rolling onto her back and grinning while stretching her arms high above her head and closing her eyes again, then opening them and looking at him as she waited for a response.

"C. Murcielago doesn't like things like that, Mrs. Cifer. He wants his woman to be photographed naturally. Maybe in the future we can do that, though. "

"Alright. So what kind of poses would C. Murcielago like? Is he interested in me rifling through the fridge or brushing my teeth? Or should we keep it sexier?" She couldn't help but make a couple dumb suggestions to ease her nerves about this. It wasn't him doing it that made her a little nervous, it was the slight fear of not living up to his mysterious expectations. She knew that no matter what, he would probably be pleased, but she wanted to give him _ exactly _what he wanted. She just didn't know what that was.

He had to smile at that. "What makes you think that I don't have pictures of you doing that already?" Ulquiorra asked. "Just give me what you think is sexy. I do have an idea of taking your picture while you're looking in the mirror at me but that is about it."

"That can be arranged," she said, sitting up and bringing her knees up to her chin, wrapping one arm around them and staring at him over the top of them. "Unfortunately my idea of sexy is behind the camera right now, so I'll just make eyes at him and see how it goes?"

"Sounds good," he said. Ulquiorra looked through the the camera at her. Orihime was giving him some smoldering looks. It would have to wait. He needed her to focus on this show. This was all of her hard work being rolled into a presentation in front of her peers. "Did you want me to go over to the gallery with you or arrive with the other models?" he asked, moving to a different spot in the room.

She stretched one of her legs out in front of her and leaned back on her palms, looking toward the light coming through the window as she thought about it. After she decided, she looked at him and answered, "I'd like it if you came with me. If you have some things to take care of first, it's fine, but I'd like you there earlier than the other models. You keep me calm and focused."

"I don't have anything else going on today. I have to talk to Helden about something anyway. He wants to know if I'm interested in selling your painting," Ulquiorra said. He tilted his head and looked at Orihime. "Move your chin down a bit. Good, hold it for a second."

Orihime followed his instruction. "Any other requests?" She asked after he snapped a few shots. She rolled over onto her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows, bending her legs at the knees with her feet in the air and pointed her toes, slowly kicking them back and forth, and then crossing them at the ankle and letting them sit there. She flipped her hair over to one side of her neck and found his camera lens again and smiled.

She was a natural at this, he thought as he continued to move and take pictures of her. About fifteen minutes later, Ulquiorra motioned for her to come to the end of the bed. "Tip your head over the side. Give me a minute to get the mirror." When he came back with the rectangular mirror, he propped it against the wall. "You know what to do, Woman. After I get these shots, we can shower, get breakfast and then head out."

When he brought the camera to his eye, she acted how she thought he would want her to, touching herself, first on her neck, then breasts, then downward to the juncture of her thighs. She spent a little time there, listening to the sound of the digital shutter noise snap more quickly. She giggled at that, then stopped. She sat up on the side of the bed facing the mirror and looked into it, with good posture and bad posture. Then she beckoned him to come closer and sat him where she had been sitting and stood beside him, resting an arm over his shoulders and he took pictures of both of them in the mirror. Then she nudged his legs apart and stood between them, facing the mirror and putting his hand on her stomach, then turning around and placing his hand on her lower back. Then she sat on one of his knees and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek, tucking her head into the crook of his neck, and finally just laying across his lap on her stomach and letting him use her ass as an elbow rest. It was sweet and amusing in the end, and a perfect distraction from the craziness that waited for her once she left the loft.

Putting the camera down behind him, Ulquiorra caressed her back, letting his hands trail down to her ass and thighs. Orihime seemed to be tense. "You okay?" he asked as he started kneading the skin slightly.

"I'm better than okay, thanks to you," she said, smiling at him in the mirror. "I just have a lot at stake later, so I have some butterflies in my stomach."

"Woman, everything will be fine. If anything goes amiss we can confer with Hiro and get it sorted out. I'm sure Takeda will be there too, to help," Ulquiorra stated, fully confident in his wife's abilities. "They're not going off how your models do, they're going off how your designs look. Remember that."

"I know. I know it's going to be a good show. I just have to make sure I keep it together and get the timing right. I'm glad I hired an extra girl. I'm only going to walk twice."

Ulquiorra smiled. He was glad that he could help her in some ways. He might have distracted her from working on the show, but he knew she had enough funds to do what she needed to do. "I'm done taking pictures, so if you want to hop into the shower now, I can make us something for breakfast or we can get something on the way."

"Cook me some eggs and I'll be yours forever. Oops, too late," she said as she headed to the bathroom.

* * *

Sebastiano began to play music and Quin announced her name. The lights were set up to highlight the runway and some of C Murcielago's more signature-looking pieces on either side of the runway. The house was packed. There were plenty of students and faculty there, but also eager members of the press and some industry insiders. Orihime had decided that she would walk first and last for her show. She spent her time prepping each model for their first walks before she got dressed.

In her mind, she called the stunning emerald green gown she was wearing the "Queen of Hueco Mundo" dress. It was a strapless silk ball gown and it was gorgeous. She probably should have had a taller model wear it, but it was one of the first pieces she designed for the collection, and at the time she was designing with herself, as the model she could afford, in mind. It was beautiful though, and her russet hair set off the color of the shimmery dress as she walked down the runway, posing at the three points of the T, and returning to the staging area, flushed and exhilarated. She sent the next model down and found Ulquiorra.

"Oh my god! It's amazing! Everything looks so good and there are so many people here!" she gushed, grabbing the shoulders of the grayish white suit jacket he was wearing and bouncing up and down in excitement.

As he was jostled by his wife, Ulquiorra smiled at her. Everything she had designed was impressive. He wouldn't be surprised if she got some offers from some of the high end retailers he had invited to the show. He hadn't let her in on that little tidbit of information and he wasn't going to tell her. "You look gorgeous," he stated. "That green is stunning. Kind of reminds me of the color of-Oh my god, it is the color of my eyes."

She grinned even wider. "A keen observation. I told you, you inspired this collection. This was the first or second piece I designed." As she spoke, a younger student she had hired to help out came up behind her and started to get her out of the dress without a word. Orihime totally ignored the girl as she stepped out of it and stood before her husband and a group of models, hair and make up artists, Quin, and her very-pointedly-looking-in-the-opposite-direction assistant in nothing but a pair of nude-colored panties. A moment later another student brought her a robe which she slipped on without flinching, then said to Ulquiorra, "You're up soon, good luck!"

She walked away and helped models in and out of costume changes, sending them down the runway at the proper intervals. She squeezed Ulquiorra's hand before he went down the first time.

When he stepped onto the runway he was nervous, because the whispers and gasps filtered through to his brain over the loud music. It was probably just his imagination. He'd heard some of the female models backstage.

_ "How did she get him to model?" _

_ "That's her husband?" _

_ "Isn't that C. Murcielago?" _

_ "Holy shit, he's hot." _

Ignoring them had been hard. He wanted to snark and bitch at them because they were being paid to do a job, not gossip, but he brushed it off. This was about Orihime's clothing line and not the models.

He kept his face in that blank stare that he always imagined he wore while an occupant of Las Noches. Ulquiorra had his hands in the pockets of the trousers. He took his hand out of one pocket and cocked his hip for his first pose and then did similar things the next two times. When he got backstage he let out a big sigh.

"You were amazing," Orihime squealed when he came backstage, grabbing him by the cheeks and kissing him full on the lips in her excitement. "Go with Quin, he'll help you get changed, but," she paused and brought her lips to his ear, growling, "you looked like a king out there."

Ulquiorra blushed and went with his friend, stripping off the outfit. "What's next?"

"She wants you to have kind of a dark rockstar look for the next one, so after you get dressed go over to hair and makeup."

He rolled his eyes at the Quincy. "Which one is that? The one labeled number 2? For fucks' sakes, Ishida," Ulquiorra muttered, grabbing the garment off the rack. There weren't that many outfits on it. When he was naked, Ulquiorra turned his back on the other males in the room and got dressed before flopping down in one of the makeup chairs. The man standing there lined his eyes with wide black lines that faded into black shadow reaching toward his jaw in a point. The hair lady put some greasy product in his hair to make it look heavy and wet. It didn't take long before he was near the entrance of the runway, waiting.

Orihime sent him down the runway in that refitted black silk suit with a pat on the ass and a thumbs up. When he came back it was more of the same for the next outfit. It all felt like it went very fast. After he came back, Orihime pulled him aside.

"Okay, I put you in the most comfortable outfit last, and there is a chair at the end of the runway reserved for you. I want you out there for my last walk. Hiro will show you where it is after you get your face cleaned up, if you need to. Love you!" She disappeared into a sea of models.

Yamada handed him a cloth and Ulquiorra quickly wiped his face off. The assistant sprayed dry shampoo in his hair and then rubbed the dark locks of hair with a towel. "Get dressed Ulq, and then we will get you to makeup and hair.

He looked at the hanger with the white tank on it. He felt so exposed. With a shake of his head he pulled the top he was wearing off and put on the shirt. It barely covered the top of the trousers he wore and most of his tattoos were visible. The makeup people lined his eyes again before applying dark shadows under them then the hair people told him to style it like he normally did. Ulquiorra was confused and when he was done, he was ushered into line.

"You should take that bracelet and ring off."

The green eyed artist turned around. "What?" He snapped to a model that looked like she hadn't eaten all that week.

"It looks tacky."

Ulquiorra was going to open his mouth to reply but Hiro came up to them. "Sluts aren't worth it, Ulq. Focus for Orihime."

When it was his turn, the green-eyed man stepped out onto the runway determined to make this his best walk yet. He did as Ishida told him to do and imagined himself walking tall, his face impassive. His heart raced as he did his final pose and walked back to the dressing area.

Hiro saw him and waved him over. "Follow me, I'll show you to your seat. Do you want to put on that vest again so you're not so exposed?" the assistant asked, reaching for the rack of clothes that had not yet been put on dummies and wheeled into the gallery.

"Doesn't Orihime need it?" Ulquiorra asked as Hiro helped him into the vest. The assistant shook his head and led him out the door and into the hallway. A few seconds later, he was sitting at the end of the runway. The view was quite different than walking on the platform.

From where he was sitting, he had a perfect view of the runway, and above the entrance to it, had it been lit, The Woman and the Moon. A few more models walked. Quin walked wearing a white cowl neck poncho and athletic pants with aqua blue zippers and stitching, reminiscent of his Quincy outfits. He owned the runway, and spared Ulquiorra a tiny smirk as he posed in front of him at the short end of it.

After Quin exited the runway, the lights went out and the music died down. Voices in the crowd murmured a bit until a small spotlight shone and a quiet, melancholy violin solo played. The crowd hushed and nothing happened for several seconds.

Then, a small, black-shod foot stepped into the small circle of light on the runway, followed by the flutter of a white skirt. The house lights went up just slightly, allowing Orihime's silhouette to be seen for a second before disappearing again, and then a second, larger spot light bathed her figure in light as she began to walk slowly down the runway.

She was dressed in an exact replica of the dress she had worn in Las Noches. She had her hair done the same way, She wore her hairpins. She kept her expression demure and her walk soft-footed as she floated toward Ulquiorra. She paused at the end of the runway and made eye contact with her husband, one hand clutching the elbow of her opposite arm. It was a rare sight for anyone who had never seen it before. For Ulquiorra, it was reliving the past.

His breath caught in his throat as memories overtook him. She was beautiful.

She turned to the right and repeated the walk, but as the music crescendoed and increased in intensity, so too did the boldness of her walk, and as she reached one end of the runway, she twirled the skirt out as she pivoted and marched, eyes still downcast and expression soft, to the end of the runway to Ulquiorra's right. She repeated the same turn, then returned to the center of the runway and walked about halfway back to the exit and stopped as she again stepped into the small spotlight. The larger spotlight that had followed her on the runway then illuminated The Woman and the Moon as she stood under it. She mimicked the pose of the figure in the painting and held it.

Oh. His heart which was already overflowing with love for her seemed to swell. His prisoner. His savior. His muse. His girlfriend. His fiancée. His wife.

His woman.

Ulquiorra felt his eyes burn as he looked at her mimicking the pose in the painting. Orihime was breathtaking and beautiful. He couldn't believe she found inspiration in him when all he had done was caused strife and heartache.

Orihime held the pose until the music swelled to it's final note, and the lights dimmed to nothing as the ring of the last note faded. Darkness returned to the room. When the lights came back up a moment later, Orihime was gone and the electronic music returned, although more melodic and less "fashion" than what had played earlier. This was a curtain call. Led by Uryu, all the models except Ulquiorra walked one after the other, applauding and lining up at either end of the T runway. The last person out was Orihime, still wearing the white dress. When she emerged, the applause in the room became louder and when she reached the end of the runway, she crouched and reached a hand out to her husband, beckoning him to join her on the stage.

He leapt to his feet and hauled himself onto the stage. As soon as he was standing straight, Ulquiorra grabbed Orihime and kissed her deeply. "Woman," he breathed.

She smiled at him and answered, "Man," as she took his hand and held it up in a victory pose, then bowed to the crowd and pulled him with her backstage, the other models following.

It was over. Her first show was finished, and it went as near to perfectly as it could have gone. Orihime was flushed and electrified and overcome with relief. She could not stop grinning. She would not let go of her husband's hand.

A tear slipped down his face. "You did it, Woman," Ulquiorra said to her. "You did it."

She looked into his eyes. She could see all the pride and the love he held for her there, and she didn't even want to blink. She wanted to savor every last bit of it. Her hands had other ideas though, and cupped his face, pulling him down toward her as she rose up to meet him in a kiss. She pressed into it and did not break it, breathing his breath and communicating what words were insufficient to express with it. When she finally set back down on her heels, she found his eyes again, and said, "I couldn't have done it without you."

"Wrong. I had nothing to do with this. This was all your hard work and vision."

She chuckled. "I believe you were the original designer of this dress, were you not? I'll take credit for the show, but you are my collaborator and my partner and my muse. Deal with it."

"I am your partner forever and always, Orihime," Ulquiorra murmured to her. "I love you."

* * *

Three days later, Ulquiorra was walking home from the loft when that strange rippling sensation went down his spine. Someone with an immense spiritual pressure had just entered the world of the living. He dug his phone out of the pocket of his jeans and tapped on Orihime's name.

"Shit," he stated, the pressure increasing. It felt like it was coming towards him. He turned and ran back to the loft using flash step. Seconds later, he had his sword in his hand.

Then he pushed his wife's name. "Orihime, get Quin. Grimmjow is back."

"What? Where are you?!" her panicked voice replied. "Quin… Quin is not far."

"I'm at the loft. He's close to me. I used flash step to get back here," Ulquiorra replied. "I'm going to engage him. Get Quin and get to my location."

"Right. I'm on my way. Be careful! Please," she whimpered the last word.

He ended the call and set the phone on the desk, leaving it there. Ulquiorra took a deep breath to center himself before he blurred out of the loft.

Orihime listened to the ringer on her phone twice before the answer came right through the door.

"Hime! Are you—" Ishida stopped short as he saw her standing in the middle of the living room with a spooked look on her face. "Tell me what you know."

"Grimmjow… Ulquiorra… He's going to fight him, Quin. We have to get over to the loft, now," she said with a shaking but focused voice as she took long steps to the genkan and slipped on some shoes. "Take me there?" she said to him. It wasn't really a request as much as it was a desperate plea.

* * *

Grimmjow prowled the sky. He knew that little fuckface was around here somewhere. He stayed above the park, waiting. Someone around here had significant reiatsu and it had the flavor of Kurosaki and his big-titted bitch. All he needed to do was for Cifer to take the bait.

It took only a moment for him to spot the former Espada, standing at the edge of the playground, but this time he was different. A dark green aura surrounded the human. Grimmjow grinned. This was going to be a piece of cake. No matter how powerful Cifer was, the blue-haired Arrancar would win.

He saw green eyes narrow with hatred, which just tickled him. "Ulquiorra, did you think you could hide from me?"

"I was hiding fine until your orange-haired asshole tattled on me," Ulquiorra called out. "Your fuckboy needs to mind his own business and find his own woman to fuck. Mine is taken."

"Yours is about to be widowed… Again..." Grimmjow sneered.

He would have been cockier, but the flare of dark reiatsu almost knocked him out of the sky. Was all of that coming from the human? How the fuck could a human's power exceed his own? Ulquiorra's power never deterred Grimmjow from a fight. He also had found a stash of Caja Negacion, so if he couldn't beat the fucked up asshole, he'd lock him away. He'd kill the Quincy and take off with the princess. He'd have his fun with her before delivering her to Kurosaki.

Grimmjow knew that Kurosaki planned on taking the bitch back to Karakura, but finders, keepers was in play right now. "That's a nice little trick," the arrancar jeered.

"It's not a trick you son of a whore," Ulquiorra stated.

Hoo boy, did he sound angry. Just the thought made Grimmjow's face split into a grin. He used Sonido to get closer to the human, but was surprised as pain lanced through his arm.

Grimmjow looked down to see his jacket and his jumpsuit were torn. He looked around in front of him to see Ulquiorra was nowhere to be found.

"You might want to withdraw Pantera, Grimmjow."

Behind him? Grimmjow whirled around to see the human standing in mid-air, two hands on a sword, his back to him. "Okay, first off, where the fuck did you find that thing and, secondly, how the fuck are you doing that?" Grimmjow demanded.

A eerie chuckle left the dark-haired man. "My wife brought me back when you killed me. Somehow she infused her power and Kurosaki's power with my soul, thus making me some kind of freak who can use Shinigami and Hollow powers."

Grimmjow watched Ulquiorra's head turn, one eye peering at him. He saw one vertical pupil narrow until it was barely seen. Shit. Ulquiorra wasn't a human. He was what Aizen wanted. He had transcended the form of a Hollow. He was beyond a Shinigami. Somehow the two mixed together and were co-existing. He was assessing the situation, so he didn't notice that the former fourth Espada's power had grown until he felt an oppressing weight across his throat.

"Wha-ULCK."

"You were never very clever, Grimmjow." Ulquiorra turned around to face him. That dark green reiatsu had grown and flickered until it was a neon spring green, wrapped around the blade of that sword he handled. "Getsuga Tenshou."

As he saw that massive wave of Spiritual pressure come toward him, Grimmjow didn't think to move. He was frozen to the spot. The only thing that saved him from a rather painful death was that blonde bitch and her teal-haired girlfriend.

* * *

Quin set Orihime down on the roof of the loft in time to see Ulquiorra standing midair, throwing a green crescent of energy at Grimmjow. They were both surprised a moment later to see Nel holding the former sixth espada under his armpits and Tier Hallibel holding onto the end of a taut chain, attached to a heavy metal collar around Grimmjow's neck.

Orihime was still rather worried, but relief flooded her body when she saw her husband still standing, Murcielago in hand, and Grimmjow restrained.

"What the fuck is going on!?" Quin broke the tense silence.

Orihime didn't care about anything but the black-haired man holding the sword, still standing in the middle of the sky. She conjured her shield and jumped on it, zooming over to him. It had been some time since she performed this technique, and it wasn't perfectly smooth. She dipped and lurched as she made her way over to him as fast as she could. When she reached him, she invited him to join her with a wave of a hand and asked, "When did you… How are you doing that?"

Ulquiorra shrugged. He didn't know how he was doing it. He looked down to see a faint silvery outline of his own shield beneath his feet. He looked at his wife and was going to say something but was interrupted by someone clearing her throat.

Oh. Right. He had other things to worry about. He faced the two superior Espada. Eyes darted back and forth between the two Terceras.

"Cuatro," Tier intoned.

"Hallibel," Ulquiorra returned.

"Thank you for subduing our problem child," Nel said, smacking Grimmjow across the back of the head.

"What are you?" Hallibel asked.

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow questioningly. What did the shark mean by that? "I don't understand your question."

"You're not exactly human. You're not a hollow either, but you're not a shinigami," Nel chimed in. "Should we take him back with us too, Tier?"

The blonde's pale green eyes snapped to the redhead and then at Ulquiorra. His hands tightened on the hilt of Murcielago. There was no way in hell that he would step foot back into Hueco Mundo.

"Over my dead body," Orihime snarled, whipping around towards the taller female. Orihime's golden energy grew turbulent around her, pulsing in static, prickling waves toward the trio of Arrancar. "I know you have managed a truce with Soul Society, but you have no authority in the World of the Living. And if you even think about going to Soul Society and talking, I will reject you out of existence so fast, you won't even remember the first of your lives before your light goes out." She huffed and swallowed, unaccustomed to feeling such ferocity, her shoulders rising and falling with each breath.

"Cuatro, tell your woman to stand down. We have no intention of taking you anywhere, nor will we be telling anyone of your whereabouts," Tier stated. The blonde turned to Nel who seemed to flinch. "Get the Sexta to his feet."

The green-eyed man had been expecting more. "That's it? You're going to take him back to Hueco Mundo and I don't get any justice for what he's done to me?"

Tier had turned around and looked at Ulquiorra. He could see why Nelliel flinched. That stare was almost deadly. "You want justice, Ulquiorra? Do you want to kill Grimmjow? I'm tethering him. He will have this collar on for the rest of his days or until he learns to behave like a king, instead of a newborn Hollow. Here's the key."

A shiny object flew through the air and the artist had to scramble to catch it. That brought a twinkle to Tier's eyes. "He's still human, Nel," she said quietly to the other third.

"Hmmm, I see." With a yank of the chain, the teal-haired Arrancar jerked Grimmjow to his feet. "Come on, _ kitty _. Time to go home."

"Oh fuck you, you sadistic-Ulck."

"I'm a masochist, get it right, dickhead."

Ulquiorra wanted to laugh as the Gargantua opened and Nel flung the blue-haired hollow by the chain through the rip in the sky. When the Arrancars were gone, he turned towards Orihime. His body started to shake. "I-I can't-" That was all that Ulquiorra said before he fainted.

Orihime yelped, and acting on instinct and an overwhelming desire to save him from injury, swooped down and caught Ulquiorra on her shield and floated it to a secluded area between buildings. Quin was right behind her.

"Is he alright?" Ishida asked, a bit underwhelming in his concern.

Orihime gave him a dirty look. "Does he look alright to you? Back up!" she ordered, bringing her healing dome over her quiet husband and turning her attention to him. "Come on, wake up," she murmured in a shaky voice, the waning adrenaline coursing through her causing some instability.

"Orihime, his spiritual pressure…" Quin said in a low voice.

"Oh shit," Orihime whispered, feeling around her husband's form. Quin was right. He had expended too much power; his soul was weak right now. "We have to get him to Urahara's. Please, Quin. I'll follow you as fast as I can," Orihime begged quietly through unshed tears.

Uryu nodded with a worried frown as he gathered his friend in his arms. "I'll go as fast as I can."

* * *

After Orihime's first official show, the gallery was full of people who milled around the designs and the paintings. The artist was still recovering from what happened earlier that week, but he didn't look like death anymore. He was sitting in the private room the gallery let artists use and was sipping a cup of tea. He had already inhaled the sandwiches Orihime had made for him.

Orihime and Quin had gotten him to Urahara's, and the blond, crippled, shinigami explained that Ulquiorra was in a state of stasis and would wake up when his spiritual pressure stabilized and reset itself. He offered to let them stay for observation.

Ulquiorra woke up exactly three hours later. Yelling. Urahara loomed over him with some device.

They left shortly after that.

Urahara had warned him that his energy would come and go in spurts. He needed to replenish it. He didn't want to ask Orihime, and Kurosaki was out of the question.

This little breather was needed after the fashion show.

After all, he needed his wits about him as he prepared for the next step of her graduation gift. Sitting in the garment bag was the Arrancar uniform Orihime had made for him, and on top of it sat a box. He had found some boots that looked exactly like the foot coverings that he had used as an Espada. Murcielago was propped against the chair.

He got ready slowly, and when everything was done he stared at himself in the mirror. The teal lines down his cheeks didn't look exactly right and the black lipstick wasn't as dark. This wasn't who he was. Ulquiorra was a human, but he had some gifts.

The knock at the door was barely audible but he watched in the reflection as the door opened to reveal the Quincy. "Are you ready yet? Boo is getting anxious," Uryu complained.

"Yeah, what do you think?"

The Quincy studied him for a moment. He'd only caught glimpses of Ulquiorra as an Espada. He couldn't study the guy because he was dealing with that dumbass Yammy. Kinda hard to check out the enemy when some meathead was trying to kill you. "You look… You look like a freak," the Quincy said with a slight smirk.

Ulquiorra couldn't help shake his head at that with his own amusement. He followed the man out of the private room and followed him into the storage area. The people who had helped out with the show were packing up their supplies. Most of them gasped when they saw him.

"I'll go announce you." Quin gripped his shoulder for a moment before starting for the entrance.

"Quin," Ulquiorra said.

"What?"

"Make sure that Helden lowers the damn painting down."

He stood there and listened and waited for his cue.

"Can I have your attention please?" Uryu had gotten a hold of his boyfriend's microphone. "UCOM thanks you for coming out to see Orihime Murcielago's collection."

Pause for applause. Ulquiorra sighed and wished he would get on with it.

"Tonight is not just a special night for Orihime, it's a special night for her husband. May I present to you, the Fourth Espada, Ulquiorra Cifer, also known as, C. Murcielago."

Finally.

Ulquiorra strode forward, through the curtain and down the runway that was still standing. When he got to the end he whipped Murcielago from its sheath that he had tucked into his sash. He heard people gasp. He saw how their eyes widened. He'd pointed the blade at his wife but there was no malice in the action.

Orihime was speechless, not that the situation called for words. She covered her mouth and raised her brows as her sinuses stung and her eyes grew dewy. He was almost as she remembered. It was more than enough to transport her back to her cell. Only now, instead of frustration or loss or hopelessness, she was filled with love and gratitude and joy. Her hands found their way to her heart, and she could see that despite the spotlight on him, he could see her in the darkness amidst a group of people. She mouthed to him, "You are perfect."

He had been so magnificent as a hollow. So controlled, so disciplined, so sharp, so powerful, so beautiful. He had been the most powerful and most clever among all of the Espada, and had he had the motivation, she had little doubt that he could have taken down Aizen with little difficulty. It was easy to become awestruck when recalling all that he had been.

It was nothing compared to what he was now.

Warm. Flawed. Loving. Broken. Hopeful. Generous. Funny. Encouraging. Her very best friend. Her lover. Her husband. Her knight. Her human Espada.

He was the heart. He was _her _ heart.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought all this and watched him lower his sword. She smiled through swollen lips and wiped her face.

Ulquiorra handed Uryu the sword and took the microphone when it was offered. "Woman, I met you almost seven years ago. Circumstances were different then, but I took the opportunity that I had to create you through my eyes. What I saw before me was a formidable person who could stand on her own. I want to present to you a new painting, one I've hidden from you for months. It's the… lover to The Woman and the Moon."

The painting was rigged onto some kind of bar and lowered until it hung beside the painting of Orihime. It showed Ulquiorra standing in the sand under the sunlit dome of Las Noches with his arm stretched out. The painting was bright but the pain that Ulquiorra tried to translate onto the canvas gave it a dark vibe.

Orihime's heart thumped once painfully, then returned to its normal rhythm, although it felt heavy in her chest. Her eyes darted between the painting and Ulquiorra, trying to read his intentions and expectations. She felt the pain to her core. She walked toward where he stood at the end of the runway and looked up to him with a look of empathy etched in her brow.

Ulquiorra gave the microphone to Ishida and then held his hand out to her, much like she had done the afternoon of the fashion show she had done for the college. He smiled at her.

She used her hands to push herself up so that her hips were level with the runway, then leaned forward and rolled over so she could get on it. She then took Ulquiorra's hand and rose to her feet. She didn't care that she looked kind of like a sea lion getting up to reach her husband. She only cared about him.

"Why did you choose such a painful memory?" she asked without judgment.

"It's not painful to me anymore, Orihime. I'm reaching to you. I've touched you. I've loved you for two lifetimes now, and I'll continue to love you for the rest of my days, Woman," he replied quietly to her.

Although the pictures taken by members of the press, Quin, and Hiro would later change her mind, the fact that they were both dressed in Arrancar uniforms or that they were in front of hundreds of people held no importance to Orihime at that moment. She took his other hand and spoke to him. "I love you, Ulquiorra Cifer. I will always reach back to you. I am not afraid. I promise you my heart forever." She squeezed both of his hands and fell into him, her cheek pressed against his chest.

**EPILOGUE**

He hated Thailand. It was fucking hot. He had to wear shorts because jeans weren't practical. People looked at him like he was something rare. It didn't help that his paper white skin did not burn or tan. Three years had passed by and finally,_ finally_, Ulquiorra and Orihime had their schedules sync up so that they could take a month-long vacation and not just a day or two here or there to different resorts.

Not that he was complaining. His art career had taken off. His modeling career had taken off, too. He'd walked runways in Paris and Milan. He'd done Fashion Week in New York and Los Angeles. He'd even done a show in Seoul. Ulquiorra still hated modeling.

Tomorrow, he'd embark on another journey.

Orihime was told that this trip would include a mini photoshoot, but she was not told the designer. Ulquiorra had kept this artistic avenue a secret for over a year, working with Quin and Aki on a line of wedding dresses. He'd taken advice from Uryu, but practically ignored it. He'd listened to everything Aki said and ate it up. The woman was brilliant when it came to art and had an experienced eye for design.

Ishida was okay, but the man's bitching about the way he dressed was still annoying.

"_YOU HAVE THE WORST FASHION SENSE FOR A MODEL! Have you ever heard of accessorizing? _" Uryu would snap at him.

He planned to tell Orihime about what was going on tonight. Maybe he'd do it right now.

Ulquiorra looked over at his wife, who was sunbathing, and smiled. She didn't know how much he loved her. Even he didn't know the depths of his love for Orihime. She was his world; the reason he got up in the morning and the reason why he went to those god awful photoshoots.

The redhead was the reason he picked up a paintbrush all those years ago.

If he had to rewind time and go back to that vast dome under that black sky, Ulquiorra would have made the same choice, saving her from that Vasto Lorde. He would have made the same decision to ask her if she was afraid. He still would have reached his hand out to her.

Ulquiorra picked up his wife's hand and squeezed it. "The photoshoot is tomorrow," he said, looking at the crystal blue water of the ocean.

She looked over to her snow-white husband and grinned. "You seem more excited about it than usual. Looking forward to having some time out of the sun?" she asked, taking a sip of some tropical smoothie and squeezing his hand back.

"Uh, no. Actually I'm excited to get to work with you," he replied. "You're going to be modeling wedding dresses for a new designer. One called _ C. Murcielago_. You've inspired me to design clothing, Orihime.

She rolled over in her lounge chair to face him. "What? You've been designing clothes behind my back? Wedding dresses? This is- When did- How?" She was completely surprised. He was so busy all the time. How could he have possibly found time to do this, too?

"I had help. I went to Quin. I asked Aki for help."

It was true. He lots of help, and not just from those two. UCOM had grown until they took up an entire floor of a building in Shinjuku. The company was still expanding, thanks to many experts' advice. He approached Jay, his former agent, to ask how he dealt with running multiple companies.

"You have really good managers," Jay answered. Before they parted ways from their lunch meeting, Ulquiorra asked about Hirano. The agent had an answer for him with a smile. "H? Haven't seen her in a year. We parted ways and she's now married to someone she actually loves."

It was nice that his former assistant and PR Bitch had found her happy ending. For Ulquiorra, his happy ending was sitting next to him, smiling. She shook her head at him and said, "You are incredible. I can't wait to see them."

Ulquiorra smiled then looked at her. "Whichever one you like the most is the one you will wear and we will be married properly, Mrs. Cifer. I have a person here to officiate. I have flowers for you to hold and I plan on carrying you into our hotel room afterward."

He paused. "Thank you for giving me a second and third chance, Woman."

She drank in the moment before she replied, shaking her head, unable to believe how lucky she was and how much she loved him. "I cannot believe how good you are. A wedding? Of course you planned a wedding and designed the dresses and did it all secretly…" She was at a loss for words, completely blown away by the gesture, so instead she got up off her lounge chair and knelt beside him, pecking his lips and his hollow helmet tattoo, then gave him a brief hug, which soon became uncomfortable in the beach heat. She returned to her chair and continued, "You can have as many chances as you need, by the way. You may need one again soon, anyway."

He gave her a confused look, then scowled. "Why? Did I order your drink wrong? Did you want another piña colada or whatever that is?" Ulquiorra looked at his own glass which was empty.

She smiled at him. She was going to wait, but this was too perfect. "No, this is the drink I wanted. I can't be downing piña coladas. This is just a smoothie. _ No alcohol. _"

"A smoothie is one of those nasty green things Hiro gets me to drink in the morning before yoga; no thanks," Ulquiorra snorted. He had bought the assistant's silence about designing clothes by agreeing to go to yoga classes with him.

Hiro Yamada had become a fixture in their business, and UCOM wouldn't have gotten anywhere without him. In addition to be being Orihime's personal assistant, Hiro had become one of Ulquiorra's best friends, right below the Quincy. Uryu still ranked number one in that spot and reminded the artist of it every time they saw each other. The green-eyed man still thought they were fucking each other on the down low.

Orihime rolled her eyes. "Those green smoothies are delicious, by the way. And this is even better; it's just pureed frozen fruit and juice. But,there is a lot of sugar in these things. I have to be careful. Nobody wants to end up with gestational diabetes."

Ulquiorra was about to flag down a waiter but Orihime said two words that didn't really go together. He turned his head and squinted at her. "Gestational diabetes? Are you sick again?" He remembered when she was ill that one time after they came back from Nikko from a small vacation-well, it was a vacation for him. Orihime had to work.

She laughed and shook her head. "No. But sometimes when I wake up in the morning, I feel a little queasy. Usually it's fine if I just eat a little and don't let my stomach get too empty. But I'm told that should pass after about four to six more weeks."

It suddenly dawned on him that she was trying to tell him something. "Why? What happens then, Woman?" Ulquiorra asked, giving her a stern look.

It was really hard for her not to start giggling. She had thought of a million different ways for this to happen, but she couldn't really plan this better if she tried. She closed her eyes and squeezed his hand again, looked over and smiled, then said in a matter-of-fact voice, "Well, by then I should be well into my second trimester, and the morning sickness usually dies down by then," she patted his hand, took another sip of her smoothie, then let him go, pretending to read a magazine while keeping one eye on him to watch for the moment if and when he figured it out.

Second trimester? Morning sickness? "Why don't you go to the doctor then?"

"Oh, I've been to the doctor twice already. Everything is perfect so far. In fact, if you'd like, I have another appointment in two weeks. I'd have invited you to the previous two but you were out of town. They weren't very fun though. The next one is a fun one."

"You've been to the doctor twice, and everything is perfect, yet you are still sick?" Ulquiorra scratched his head, beginning to become exasperated and confused. "Why is the next appointment a fun one? Wait, two weeks? We leave Thailand and return to Japan around then. Orihime, what is going on?"

Orihime turned to him again and smiled. She took his hand and threaded her fingers through his. "In two weeks it will be possible to hear the baby's heartbeat."

"WHAT?" He said it so loud that the birds in the nearby trees flew into the sky. "What? I-Baby? Who is having a baby?"

Orihime looked at him with amusement, her eyes wide at his outburst. Then she laughed and said, "You are, you big dummy."

He laughed in response. "I don't think so. I don't even have the right equipment-Wait... " Ulquiorra paused for a moment. He sighed. "Orihime, are you pregnant?"

She smirked at him, still chuckling through her nose, and patted her still-flat, Thailand-tanned belly. "Yep."

Another sigh. "Which trip? The one to Kyoto? The one to Berlin? Paris?" They had talked about starting a family, but it was all hypothetical. He told her to lose the birth control if she wanted to have a baby. Ulquiorra didn't think she would actually do it… That wasn't right. He hoped she would throw the pills out, but he had a sense that she wouldn't.

"You mean when did it happen? My best guess is six weeks ago, so when we were at home, mostly. Although it may have been that weekend in Kanazawa."

He blew out a breath. Ulquiorra knew this had been a possibility, but it was still a shock to his brain. It was like someone had poured icy cold water onto his sun warmed body. He looked up at Orihime. He couldn't read her expression all that well. "Woman, I would love to attend your next appointment with you," he affirmed with a smile. "I guess my plans to fuck your brains out will have to be postponed, huh?"

"Oh no, you are free to do that until I'm so huge you won't want to be anywhere near me anyway, so fuck away, sailor," she said, ending with a little salute.

Ulquiorra pulled her to him and gave her a long, deep kiss. "I love you, Woman."

* * *

**A/N: That's it! Let us know what you think, please!**

**Authors' thanks:**

**Okay a lot of thanks goes to JKR Bc she had to endure a lot with this fic. We both had seen the art/comic that inspired this story. Um, we had to cut a lot of my bad ideas and rewrite it. So thanks, woman. 😂 thank you to our readers and fans of this story! We appreciate you. - EIV**

**Thanks to all who've read this rollercoaster for coming along on this ride! This whole fashion/clubbing/art scene/fantasy world was so crazy and fun to write in, and I was sad to see it end, but I think C. Murcielago and Hime have made a hard-earned happy ending for themselves! EIV, thank you for sticking this one out with me. Thanks for taking the time to polish it up with me and make it shine a year after we initially finished writing it! ****Also thanks to the movie Zoolander for a lot of the inspiration for some of the silly moments, especially between Orihime and Quin. ****Also, thanks to Quin for being the BFF we all wish we had. -JKR**


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